He had contacted all his associates at the Watcher’s Council and inquired about what he should be looking for…any signs of what might be to come, of what his books were indicating, but nothing panned out. There had been no abnormal disappearances, no rain of toads, no four horsemen… Just nothing.

That was what was getting to him. The silence of the town, even more so than it had been when he first arrived there. Buffy was slaying an average amount of undead, there had been no further reports about the large vampire that had escaped her at the house or the child that it had been guarding, everything barring the untimely passing of her friend, was completely normal. It was good – too good.

Giles was trying to piece the time bomb of a puzzle together when he heard a slight rustling from the stacks behind him and he turned to face them. He had only helped about twelve students since the beginning of school just over three weeks ago, and the majority of his company had been from the girl Willow, who seemed to be the only literate one in the whole place, and from Buffy, who he required show up to "hit things" as she had so eloquently put it. But now he heard a noise from an area that he doubted any student at Sunnydale High would ever venture into…the place where the real books lived.

"Hello?" he called while cautiously inching towards the shelves. "Who’s there?"

He got no response and felt his heart rate pick up. Something was definitely off he thought as he turned and made a quick pace to the reference desk. Buffy would have answered him back, and more importantly, if she had it might be the end of the world because it was 7:20 in the morning and she usually didn’t even show up on campus until at earliest 8:45, the chronic teenager that she was.

That in mind Giles grabbed a stake and held it discreetly in his hand. If it were a demon stabbing it would undoubtedly end its existence and he was itching to put some more of his field training to use as he had been idle for the last little while since Buffy had been getting the hang of patrolling by herself.

"I…I’ll ask o…once more," Giles called out uncertainly, "Who is there?"

Still nothing. Not even the noise he had picked up before. He released a deep breath and turned… "AHHHHHH!!!!!"

Angel jumped back at the scream and held up his hand to block the stake in case the British man decided to swing in defense. Luckily for him the next thing he heard was the wood clattering to the floor as Giles grabbed his heart.

"Bloody hell…" he muttered through deep breaths.

"Sorry," Angel said without much emotion. "I didn’t mean to scare you."

"Well, in that case you failed miserably." Giles bit out harshly as he eyed the man before him. He looked older than the average student that he had dealt with here, which probably meant that he wasn’t. "Can I help you?" he asked finally as the other man seemed to be waiting for some type of cue.

Angel looked around the library, his eyes finally resting on the book that Giles had left on the table in the middle of the room and he read the title. The Book of Kamerana, infamous for its prophecies. "You know."

Giles’ brow furrowed. "I know what?"

"What’s coming. You know."

The Watcher narrowed his eyes. The dark clothes. The cryptic statements. The hair gel. This was the man that Buffy had mentioned to him, had described as a vampire. Giles took a step back cursing the fact that he had dropped his weapon and glanced out of the corner of his eye to the bright morning sun outside. How?

"Buffy told you about me, I assume?" Angel grinned a little at the other mans slow and steady retreat. He looked almost as if he were expecting an attack.

"Yes," Giles nodded. "She may have mentioned…" he was at the desk again and he reached down into a drawer quickly pulling out a cross and raising it to the vampire’s face.

Angel growled low in his throat and recoiled at the move before collecting himself. "Then she must have told you that I’m a friend." He still kept his distance.

"She said that you were a vampire. Hardly a friend." The Watcher spat coldly.

"Look," Angel breathed out holding up his hands in surrender. "I’m not risking my life to hurt her." He watched as a degree of acceptance dawned on Giles’ face. "If I ad wanted her dead she’d already be in the ground."

Giles hackled his defenses again at the comment. "You have been following her…"

"Protecting her." Angel corrected. "And her little friend."

The Brit approached him while still keeping up his guard at the mention of Xander. "I had cautioned her against this…" he muttered to himself.

"Against what?"

"Of the dangers of revealing her world to her peers." Giles said shaking his head, "If you know that he is aware of her destiny than others most likely do as well."

"You’re more right than you know." Angel relaxed as Giles lowered the cross to his side. "But your Slayer informed me that if anything happened to him I’d be held personally responsible.

Giles smirked to himself momentarily as he could imagine Buffy threatening the demon – probably much in the same way that she had done to him, but then refocused. "I didn’t catch your name."

"Angel."

"Angel…" Giles thought to himself for a moment before filing the name away for future research. "What is it? What’s coming?"

The vampire steadied his shoulders and kept a steady tone. "The Master."

"Yes, well..." Giles tilted his and snatched up the book he had been reading to hold it in front of Angel’s face. "I had gathered that. Please do tell me that you didn’t brave the sunlight to inform me of common knowledge."

The vampire’s expression didn’t waiver. "It wasn’t so much braving anything. You’d be surprised what decent cloaking and this town’s complicated sewer system can do for a mobile vampire."

<Traveling by way of sewer. Dear Lord…" Giles cringed at the thought that even at the height of noon nobody in the town was really safe. "Please do get to your point."

Angel nodded and jumped back into what information he had come across. "A group of vampires…they plan on taking over the Hellmouth and they’re going to raise their Leader to do it. They need bodies."

"Minions?" Giles questioned unsurely. There had not been a dramatic spike in death rates that would suggest that.

"Yes. And more. They need the bodies…the blood and a lot of it."

"Yes," the Watcher nodded as the clues finally dawned on him. "Blood shall flow by way of the Vessel and the power shall unlock the Gates of Hell and he shall rise…" he read aloud.

"Tonight." Angel filled in getting Giles’ attention.

"Tonight?"

"Yes."

"This text says nothing about…"

"The moon shall rise in its third phase," Angel recited from memory, "And the world will welcome him. The sun will set at its final dusk and hell will be reborn to earth. Ever read The Gorlid Annals?"

"Dear God," Giles breathed out. "Of all the months to skim…"

"Demon Lore of the month club?" Angel questioned.

"Yes."

"You subscribe?"

Giles nodded, "Yes well…"

"Did you choose the phone?"

"Calendar actually…" he shrugged and Angel nodded briefly.

"I’m here to help her." The vampire reiterated seriously.

Giles eyed the taller darkly cloaked man, squinting to read his eyes at the gravity in his tone. He was telling the truth. The vampire was telling the truth about wanting to protect the Slayer. But why? How? He should have no concept of the truth or loyalty or… Giles studied him further. Eyes determined but sad, his posture and tone reflecting the same degree of defeat and it simply wasn’t possible. What Giles saw reflected from the demon when he spoke of Buffy couldn’t be fact because it just wasn’t possible. "Why are you doing this?" he asked.

"Redemption." The vampire spoke clearly, and then waited a breath, "I had hoped to keep her out of this…" he said again uncomfortably.

Giles furrowed his brow. "That is hardly a feasible option," he let out a harsh laugh. "She is the Slayer – destined to fight the fight…this fight precisely."

"I don’t think that she’s ready for them…"

"For who exactly?"

Angel released an unnecessary breath. "The Vessel that the book spoke of…he’s here, he’s big. I know Darla is here. She…" Angel trailed off unsure of weather or not to reveal what the female vampire was responsible for. If Giles knew and told Buffy that she would be present tonight the Slayer would go in with all guns blazing – and she wouldn’t be spared. "I’ve heard of one more." He said instead. "They might have gathered an army and done it in a hurry…"

Giles nodded. "I’ll check for recent missing persons."

"And absences from school today," Angel filled in gravely. "They would have wanted the young strong ones…the most gullible. There’s not a lot of time."

"Yes…" Giles mumbled while heading over to get a book from him private collection in hopes of finding more information.

"And I know that she has to be there," Angel spoke again. "Which is why I came. If we all go together, she’ll have strength in numbers…"

"Be where, exactly?" Giles nodded as he faced the demon.

Angel lowered his gaze. "I don’t know. All I know is that it has to be crowded…"

"Crowded on a Friday night?" Giles wondered out loud. "The Mall?"

"Maybe," Angel shrugged.

~*~*~*~

"The Bronze?" Xander suggested to Willow hopefully as the made their way through the quad. He had been wanting to broach another ‘date like, but not so much’ excursion with Buffy and tonight seemed as good a time as any. Plus if he gathered a group it could curb any awkwardness.

Willow’s face lit up, "Oh! Ok, we could do that."

"Sure you’re not busy with Perc?" Xander prodded with a sly grin.

Willow turned beet red but spoke anyway, shrugging of his implications. "No. In fact I haven’t spoken to him since yesterday afternoon. He didn’t even call…"

"So you guys talk every night now?" the dark haired boy asked with raised eyebrows. "Getting pretty serious…"

"No." Willow denied but maintained a secret smile. "It’s weird, that’s all…I mean, it’s me…and he likes it like that…"

"Why wouldn’t he?" Xander asked confused as he plopped down on a cement slabbed bench and scanned the area.

"Because it’s me." Willow said simply and watched as her friend’s eyes roved over the crowd of students. "He could have anybody here…Cordelia, Harmony, that girl with the nose job and the cleft chin, which I would have gotten fixed first…but he picked me…"

Xander nodded only half paying attention. "There’s nothing wrong with you."

Willow raised a skeptical eyebrow. "You’ve been one of the girls for WAY to long, Auto Response Boy."

Xander blushed and ran his hand through his hair. "Seriously. I mean it, Wills. You’re great."

Willow swallowed at his complement and forced herself not to read too much into it. "So," she changed the subject, "Speaking of the girls, where’s Number 1?"

She could easily file Xander’s comments under friendly politeness at the speed of his response. "Oh, Buff had cheerleading practice this morning, but she was late so she probably is finishing up some laps…"

Willow watched him with wide eyes.

"And I answered scarily fast huh?"

"That’d be a pos." Willow answered with a laugh. "Is that why the sudden urge to Bronze it?"

"What?"

"I’m not looking to third wheel…"

"What?" Xander asked again and his mind worked for a cover. There was nothing like two friends in a group of three that were ‘in like’ to ruin a high school experience, and Xander really didn’t want to be the one to do that to Willow. "Naw…I mean, yeah, we’d all be there, but as three…separates. You know, have a coke, see the sights, listen to the music. Friday night is Dingoes night." He finished brightly.

Willow seemed to accept his answer as she started speaking again. "Did I tell you their bassist was me and Percy’s waiter a that restaurant?"

"No," Xander shook his head, happy for another opportunity to zone out. He wished Buffy would hurry up so he could tell her what the plan was for the night. "Oz is pretty cool. Didn’t know he had a real job."

"You know him?" she tried to sound more ambiguous that normal. It wasn’t that she was really interested, it was just…he had a band. That was pretty cool.

"Oh, yeah." Xander shrugged not picking up on her more casual tone. "I’ve seen him around; we don’t go bowling together or anything… he’s a good guy. Laid back."

Willow nodded.  "Oh look," she said suddenly, tired of the vacant look on Xander’s eyes. "There’s Buffy," she pointed over his shoulder, "And she’s not wearing anything."

Xander’s head snapped around so fast he almost fell off his seat, but then calmed when he heard the redhead laughing at him. "Not funny," he pouted slightly. I could have hurt myself…"

"Gotten whiplash," Willow laughed. "You’ve got it bad." She was trying once again to speak in a dismissive manner. She hated that all she could do about the situation was joke about Xander’s real feelings for the girl that wasn’t her.

"I do not…" he defended weakly. "I just…nakedness leads to an increase in colds."

"And you’d rush over to keep her warm before that would happen."

Xander’s face glazed over momentarily. "That’s what friends are for," he smirked and leered towards Willow.

~*~*~*~

Buffy spotted Xander and Willow from across the quad. They were laughing and joking…and Xander said something and leaned in…

She couldn’t control the way her eyes slit at the scene as she started towards the pair. She didn’t know why she had the sudden urge to sit right between them, or maybe write he name in permanent marker across Xander’s forehead. It wasn’t like everybody in the school had to have Xander Harris, like he was God’s gift to women. But when one did, Buffy hated it. It wasn’t even a recent development, even when she had been dating Scott she hadn’t liked the idea of Xander going out with other girls, but now she felt more of a claim on him. He had no right to sit that close to…

"Buffy!!!"

<God.> the blonde sighed and turned to face the voice, putting on a bright smile before doing so. "Hey Cordelia. Great practice…"

The brunette immediately interrupted her. "Whatever…"

"Well, thanks for the ride this morning," Buffy tried. She really hated this girl, and the worst part was pretending not to. Well, no. The worst part was what was coming. Cordelia Chase didn’t do you a favor for nothing.

"About that." She said as if on cue and offering a sweet smile. "You’re not busy tonight right? I mean, I know you were only going to loaf with the town lepers, but…"

"Actually," Buffy cut her off snidely. "I was probably going to go to the Bronze…"

"Great!!" Cordelia exclaimed, probably from an excess of cheer pep from earlier Buffy assumed. "You can come with me."

"I can?!" Buffy squealed sarcastically. "Thank God, and here I thought I would have to socialize with people I like."

The head cheerleader rolled her eyes and waved her hand dismissively. "Listen Buffy. I gave you a ride this morning to save your ass. I could have driven by, but no. I decided to help the less fortunate and fashionably challenged. You owe me."

Buffy was seething as she ran her hands self consciously over her short off pink dress. She liked this one… "I would have walked just fine. And taken the laps to avoid having to…"

"Jeff wants you to go." Cordelia spoke up. "It’s a thing he’s trying to organize…we’ll all go to the Bronze and wait for his parents to leave then he’s having a little get together at his place."

"Little to nothing to do with me." Buffy pointed out as she tried to step around the taller girl.

Cordelia side stepped to stop her. "You know what Buffy?" she asked starring into the blonde’s eyes. "I don’t know why you think that by hanging around with the socially comatose you can pretend that you’re not one of us?"

"Us?"

"You’re popular Buffy. Well," she amended. "You can be. There’s potential, and I know you want to act on it."

Buffy sighed and glanced towards the laughing Xander and Willow. She wasn’t like Cordelia, she had a heart. Just because they lived in the same neighborhood, had went to the same school since kindergarten, did the same activities and like the same things…just because they had been friends before a long LONG time ago, didn’t make them alike now.

"Just show tonight… Expand your horizons. You might like it."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "I hate Jeff."

"You owe me."

"I don’t get why you need me." Buffy whined a little. "You go with your mini-yous, and me and Xander will have our own fun."

Cordelia raised a confused eyebrow at the statement and Buffy sputtered to backpeddle. "With Willow…"

The tall girl’s brow furrowed.

"Not threesome fun. Fun at the Bronze. No other type of fun…between anybody. Ever." Buffy nodded sharply.

"Jeff said that I should just ask you to show…"

"So it’s just you me and Jeff?" Buffy snorted. "We couldn’t by any chance play Russian Rolette? I’ll go first."

"No," the brunette bit out. "Jeff asked for you to show, and I said that you would…"

Buffy opened her mouth to protest being spoken for but Cordelia kept talking.

"And then Scott, Larry, Braxton, me, Blue and Unique. It’s a group thing."

"It’s a four way date!" Buffy exclaimed with wide eyes. "With Jeff Broderick!!! And Scott Hope! No. There’s no way…"

"Buffy please." Cordelia pleaded, but then seemed to remember who she was. "That’s the only time you’re ever going to hear that phrase from me, so you know that I need you to do this."

Buffy still looked skeptical.

"Winter Fest is coming up and Braxton could ask me. Do you know what that means?" she tried to reason. "And your loser friends’ll probably be within shouting distance anyway."

Buffy huffed out a breath. If there was one person in all the world who could beat her in getting her way, she was facing off with her. The master of stubbornness and the leader of the spoiled brat. "Fine." Buffy shook her head defeated. "I’m in. I’ll try to be done by 9."

"Be done what?" Cordelia questioned confused. "You don’t have anything more important that a date with Jeff, I know. I’ve glimpsed into the shambles that have become your life."

Buffy slit her eyes again. "And I’m tip toeing into the brothel that is yours. And it’s not a date."

"Whatever."

"Just give me till nine." Buffy told her.

"8:30," Cordelia settled. "Alright," she said quickly before Buffy could argue. "I’ll see you then…and don’t wear that purple thing. Purple is Blue’s color, yours is black. Stick to it."

"Stick to it." Buffy mimicked at the other girls back before dropping her head and stalking towards her friends – her real friends. "Lucky for her I do look hot in black."

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

The End Part 14B

Title: Before the Fall of Rome (14c/?)

Author: Brooke

Email: yabbadabbadome13@yahoo.com

Rating: R

Disclaimer: I don’t own anything. I wished I owned the two Xanders’ from "The Replacement" though. Buffy and friends are owned by Joss, Mutant Enemy, 20th Century Fox, The UPN and whoever else has rights to the show.

Summary: You remember all that crap that started post-puberty…yeah, it’s great isn’t it. It was when life started

Distribution: I don’t know why anybody would want this, but if somebody does…sure.

Feedback: Definitely!! Tell me if it sucked or if you liked it. Whatever. Just write back!

Authors Note: Takes place in an AU season 1 where Buffy and Xander are best friends and Willow is the new girl as Sunnydale High. It is the beginning of their sophomore year and, as 15 and 16 year olds, hormones and feelings are taking center stage.

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

Buffy reached the bench that Willow and Xander were seated in and flung herself wearily over her male friends shoulder with a loud exhale of breath.

"Buff?" he smirked through the limited movement her position afforded. "You ok?" He tried to conceal his shudder at the feel of her breath on his neck, and then to hide his choke on breath when he felt Buffy’s lips press lightly onto the column of his neck, discreetly hidden by her shielded position behind her loose hair.

Willow let the conversation that they had been having drop and watched Xander focus on Buffy. She was unable to help but notice how he had raised his left hand and was now stroking the back of the blonde’s neck as he spoke softly.

"Yeah, Buff," she spoke up in secret hopes of ruining the moment that they seemed to be having. "What’s the sitch?"

Buffy pulled herself upright and shuffled around the bench to face them. "You have no idea about the morning I’ve had. It’s like Satan decided to poop on my day."

"Well," Xander piped up, "I got the perfect cure for that…the Glade Spray of life, if you will."

Willow giggled at his rapid speech and wiggling eyebrows while Buffy continued to watch him skeptically. "You’ve got a time machine? Can you take me back to 1980 and let me advise Cordelia’s parents about the miracles of birth control," she sighed hopefully.

Xander shook his head but maintained his smile. "Sadly no, BUT I can offer cover charge for the Bronze. That is if the lady accepts." He bowed from his seated position, both he and Buffy oblivious to Willow’s fallen look.

"I don’t know Buff," the redhead spoke up, itching to get into the conversation. "He hasn’t even offered you his seat, what kind of gentleman is that?"

Buffy nodded in consideration. "Touché Wills. Point taken. I think for that he owes two Bronze covers…and lattes."

"What are you trying to do, break me?" Xander tossed in a harsh, but playful whisper to Willow. "Plus," he turned to Buffy and made it obvious that he was checking her out, "She’s got strong legs…I’m really only helping her keep in shape."

Willow laughed at Buffy’s shocked and offended expression more than the actual comment and was almost forced off the bench when Xander shoved himself aside quickly to avoid the slap she landed on his shoulder.

"Don’t look at me like that perv." Buffy joked and hit him again.

"Didn’t hear that compliant last night," Xander laughed back. The silence that followed was almost painful as all three froze and shifted nervously from their respective positions.

Willow had no idea what had happened to the previous comfortable atmosphere, but she figured that she needed to help them all get back to it. She knew that Xander’s playful flirting was, pretty much, as common as having homeroom at 8:25, but she had no idea why it had been enough this time to stop all the banter dead in its tracks. It was as if… <No.> she shook her head. There was no way they were uncomfortable because of the truth the joke might hold, was there? <No.>

"So," Willow spoke up after a swallow, and it seemed Xander was glad for the distraction. "Are we all hitting the Bronze on Xander’s dime?"

"I can’t tonight you guys," Buffy shook her head. "Hence the massive sucking of this day."

Xander titled his head to her, "You can’t? What are you gonna…"

"Why does everybody assume that I’ve never got anything to do?!" Buffy exclaimed defensively. "I have a life."

Xander spoke again without thinking, "With me." He caught his slip and added, "You only hang out with us." He gestured between himself and Willow.

"I’ll have you know that I have plenty of other friends," Buffy pouted while Xander fixed her with a disbelieving expression.

"Mr. Giles doesn’t count." Willow piped up absently and Buffy shot her a glare.

Inside the Slayer was cringing. Even Willow had noticed the amount of time she spent in the library – she had noticed it enough to crack jokes about it. "I have cheerleading friends…"

"Cordelia?!" Both of her friends exclaimed at the same time.

"Fine! Acquaintances…people who I know of…Whatever!"

Xander nodded, "So what does this have to do with you taking me up on my offer tonight?"

"Well…" Buffy shifted on her feet. "Cordelia wants me to go with her and some other guys from the squad."

"New friends?!" Willow said with mock surprise. "Why I never…"

"Guys?" Xander spoke instead. "What guys?"

"Girls too," Buffy offered. "Coed…"

Xander huffed out a breath and squinted at his blonde friend. "So you’re blowing me off?"

"Us off," Willow tried to keep her tone light as a contrast to the seriousness she heard in Xander’s.

Buffy’s expression looked apologetic as she spoke. "You guys can come too," she assured Xander. "I just…she wants me to hang out with her and her friends…"

"Like?" Xander prodded. Buffy was dancing around the question he was posing and he knew it.

The Slayer exhaled knowing that he wouldn’t like the answer. She shouldn’t not be able to tell him – it was just hard and now she had this nervous pit in her stomach derived from his tone alone. She didn’t want to hurt him, and even more than that she didn’t want to hear his disappointed voice directed at her. "It’s gonna be me, Jeff, Larry, Blue, Brax and Cordy and Unique and Scott…"

"Oh!" Xander exclaimed as all in complete disbelief. "So everybody I’ve ever met is going?"

"Xander…"

"No, no. I get it." He turned towards a confused Willow and laughed bitterly. "We’re just not good enough I guess…not with the in crowd?" He directed the last part to Buffy.

"What’s the matter Xander?" Willow spoke up before Buffy could. "It’s not like we’ve been banned from the club." Xander rolled his eyes, "She’ll be there." Willow bit out the last bit, and Buffy nodded as if oblivious to the harsh tone her friend spoke in.

"Jeff?" he asked in a calmer voice, but still bitter. Buffy hated him…everybody with half a brain hated Jeff. Now it seemed, though, that Xander would have to kill him. It had been only last night when that ass hole had tried to get him to set up a date with Buffy, and Xander had vehemently refused. Jeff, that sneaky bastard, had taken matters into his own hands and Buffy, and hell, even Cordelia, had no idea. And Xander didn’t even want to get into Scott…

"I know," Buffy nodded sadly. "But you know how Cordy can be," she offered, "And she gave me a ride this morning…"

"I would’ve given you a ride." Xander pouted and mumbled.

"You don’t have a car." Willow pointed out. "The point of the ride was to get here on time…" Xander shot her a look. "I’m just saying…that all…"

"And Scott?" Xander pressed.

Willow’s brow furrowed as she noticed the students begin to file inside the school in preparation for the first bell. "That’s a little shady, huh?" she pointed out. "Those guys are all your friends and you weren’t invited."

Xander nodded at her observation, "But look who it is. From the looks of that group it makes perfect sense."

"Well, yeah. But still…"

"Guys," Buffy waved her hand rapidly in front of the chatting pair to gain their attention. "I think you might be talking about me so I feel obligated to point out that I’m still standing here."

Xander gave her a little grin but then turned back to Willow, obviously trying to annoy his life time friend on purpose. "They don’t want me there…I’m so gonna kick Jeff’s ass, I told him last night…"

"What?" Buffy asked again, trying to enter the conversation.

"It makes perfect sense." Willow agreed. "And Scott. He only hangs out with us for Buffy."

"And I’m totally against that," Buffy nodded.

"And he and Jeff and the male Thelma and Louise." Xander pointed out, "They do everything together."

Buffy’s brow furrowed as Xander tossed her a look at the end of his statement. "What was that look?!"

"No look," Xander shrugged, finally acknowledging her.

"That was a look…and it followed a questionable comment. What are you saying…"

"NOTHING!" Xander shook his head. "I’m not saying anything…just…don’t you think it’s wired that I’m not invited?"

"Maybe a little…" Buffy looked at the ground as the bell sounded behind her.

"You think Jeff’s going to ask her to Winter Fest?" Willow asked with wide eyes.

Xander’s eyes darkened, "I know for a fact that he is…"

"Waitwaitwait." Buffy held up her hands. "Let’s not count all our eggs in the basket."

Willow gazed at her confused. "Before they’re hatched?"

"Whatever." Buffy shrugged while Willow stood up next to her, preparing to go inside. "The point is he had to beg for this date…"

"Date?" Xander questioned again.

"Undate…This thing Cordelia tied me into…he couldn’t even ask me for himself." Buffy extended her hand to a skeptical Xander who grasped it and let himself be pulled to his feet. "And if he would have asked me himself, the answer would have been a resounding ‘When Hell freezes over’."

Xander laughed and moved behind the girls. He placed his hands on Buffy’s shoulders and pushed her in time with his steps towards the entrance of the school and Willow watched the easy smiles on both of their faces.

Something was different, she settled. Something about the way they were acting, touching…just looking at each other. Part of her was screaming to find out. She slowed her pace to let them enter before her as Xander was still stirring his smaller friend around their fellow students. But a bigger part was afraid to know what may be the truth.

"Well," Buffy sighed as she broke Xander’s grasp and let his hands fall to his sides when they reached her locker. "I’ve got a book to return…"

"A book?" Willow questioned, having been shaken from her thoughts and Buffy pouted a little. "No," Willow quickly defended herself, "I mean…I think you can read. I’ve just never…never seen you actually do it."

Xander nodded in mock agreement and this time was punched lightly, or so she thought, in the shoulder for his facial expression.

"So you’re skipping homeroom?" Willow asked, "Again?"

Buffy shrugged remembering the previous morning with a slight grin, but quickly disguised it with a cough when she saw Willow starring at her. Xander, on the other hand, was free to grin pridefully to himself all he wanted.

"Well," Xander shrugged, "Late fees are a bitch."

Buffy nodded quickly. "I haveta motor," she started down the hall towards the library. "See you at second, Wills."

"You want me to come with?" Xander called out after her hopefully and Buffy stopped in her tracks. He could see her considering before she seemed to remember Willow standing next to him and shook her head.

"Nah, I got it. Later for sure."

Xander smiled at her and nodded. "Later then."

"Oh, Wills," Buffy turned again, "Try to pass me off for homeroom, pretty please."

Willow nodded before Buffy turned and jogged down the hall.

"Later?" the redhead questioned Xander with a raised eyebrow.

Xander gulped. "Yeah…later to check out another book," he replied quickly before turning himself and starting down the hall again. He wished Buffy would have let him go with her because Willow was a veritable Nancy Drew when she smelled a conspiracy.

Willow followed his quick steps and caught up with his before speaking again. "She likes to read huh?"

"Loves it." Xander nodded as he slid into a desk near the back of the room. "Hey," he spoke up in an attempt to change the subject, "Did you get the History notes yest…"

"She needs a gym bag for the library?"

Xander gulped again, "Yesterday." He tried to refocus the redhead. "I missed it…"

"Yeah," Willow nodded going into her bag and pulling out her note book for him. "You and Buffy both did."

Xander tried to conceal his nervousness but failed as he pushed himself up form the desk and tripped over his bag on the floor. He snatched up the notebook and tried to get down the aisle. "I’m gonna go photo copy," he stuttered and turned, this time smacking right into Jeff as he entered the room.

"Hey Harris." The other boy grinned in his face before stepping around him and heading for a desk. "Missed you last night, man."

Xander glared at him and opened his mouth to speak, but then heard Willow add. "At the library?" To which he nodded while keeping his glare focused on Jeff while he laughed with a few other members of the swim team. "Tell Buffy I said I’ll see her in English."

Xander nodded to Willow briefly and turned, bumping out of the door. That was too close.

~*~*~*~

"Sorry I’m late Giles," Buffy was speaking as soon as she passed through the swinging wooden doors of the library. "I was on my way and…"

The Slayer trailed off as she spotted her Watcher perched on the edge of the table pouring over books with…

"Angel." Buffy whispered in more of an intrigued than annoyed tone and the vampire stood to face her.

"Buffy." He watched her cautiously as she approached the center of the room where he stood and dropped her bag on the way.

Her tone had change the next time she spoke, and Buffy was sure to project how she was supposed to feel about the undead. "So now I can’t even catch a break in the day?" She stepped around the vampire, who dropped his gaze to the floor and followed the movement of her feet. "What's the what Giles? I thought I had till at least 5 before I had to submit to the life of the chronically stalked."

Giles shut his book and placed it on the table beside him before addressing the teenager. He didn’t know all he wanted to about the demon who had appeared to help,  but he was, in fact, there to help. They had gathered a surprising amount of information about what was to come. "Angel came to me about the Harvest…"

"So you two are best buds now?" Buffy questioned and crossed her arms over her chest.

"No," Giles knit his brow and shook his head. "He was just concerned…"

"I don’t want his concern." Buffy interrupted as if Angel weren’t even in the room. She turned quickly to face the vampire and he rose his face to meet her movement. "I don’t want your concern."

"Buffy…"

"He’s a vampire Giles. A vampire. They’re evil…soulless…"

"I’m not." Angel spoke up. "I’m not like the others."

Giles looked at how the man was watching the Slayer, an immortal being almost pleading with a teenager for acceptance. He watched as his Slayer kept her guard despite her probable witnessing of the same thing, she remained indifferent through it all. It was probably a good thing too, that Buffy was so cold to him…

"I believe him, Buffy." Giles spoke.

She whirled on him. "You believe him?! He’s a killer. Killer’s manipulate a…and lie…and kill, Giles!"

"I haven’t done that in years." Angel told her. "I…I want to help…"

"Why?" Buffy demanded of him. "Why are you doing this? I don’t need you and I don’t trust you, so why do you insist…"

"I have a soul Buffy." He told her forcefully. "I’m just like you only I have to repay for what I’ve done…"

"That’s not possible." Giles breathed. "Vampires…"

"I want to repay by helping you." Angel kept speaking, tilting his head and gazing into her eyes. Buffy was silent as she seemed to be content to listen to what he was saying. Listen to a vampire unlike any she had ever encountered with a shocked expression on her face. "You’re going to save the world Buffy," Angel told her now standing at full height to confront her, "I’d like to be there when you do."

Buffy looked at him in silence and then turned towards her Watcher. "Can that happen Giles?" she asked in a low voice. "Can a vampire have a human soul?"

Giles sputtered for her answer, but the Slayer had turned back to Angel before he could answer. "I’d have to believe that it can," he whispered in awe.

"And you want to help me?" Buffy asked the demon in human form, studying his face for truth before he even answered. That was what was in his eyes…that was what had kept him alive this far. Buffy smiled secretly to herself at the concept. A vampire with a soul.

"Yes."

Surely a valuable ally gained in such a simple response. "I didn’t know Slayers had partners…"

"Partners?" Angel let his mouth crack into a half smile while the Slayer worked to correct herself.

"A back-up team." She said quickly.

Giles stood and approached them, forming a triangle of people in front of the table. "I do supposed he can hold his own," he pointed out.

Buffy nodded. "Good. One less life I have to save…"

"The other is of your own accord." Angel bit out in a sudden change of mood.

Buffy slit her eyes at the vampire again, facing him squarely. "If we’re going to work together you leave Xander out of this."

"I wish I could have told you the same thing." The vampire fired.

"He needed to know to save his life." She stated firmly.

"His or yours? It all seems a bit selfish…"

Buffy’s chin shook with anger. How dare this creature come into her life and judge her. "At least now I have a dispensable tag along."

"Way I see it, you have two then."

"I think," Giles interrupted to Angel before Buffy could speak again. The childish quipping was more that he could handle, and less than he expected from an adult demon cohort. "We should inform her of the Harvest."

Angel nodded and turned back to the table to pick up the book. "Long story short of it," e told Buffy, "They’re going to try to raise the Master tonight."

"Why don’t you give me the long version." She blurted out.

Giles nodded while Angel slit his eyes at the girl. "It’s called the Harvest."

"And it’s to…"

"Raise the Master," Angel spoke up. "The lead vampire that will come when the gates of Hell are opened."

Buffy nodded, "Mmm…any old friends gonna show, Ang?" she asked sweetly. "Any blonds who may have…"

"You’ll be there." He cut her off before she could finish.

"I’m not a friend." She told him coldly. "But I am looking out for mine." Angel nodded. "This is going down tonight?"

Both the Watcher and vampire nodded and Buffy let out an exasperated sigh. "Any chance it’ll be done by eight?" she asked hopefully, shooting doe eyes at Giles.

Angel rolled his eyes at her and set down the book. "The salvation of the world is more important that you playing kissy face with the boy…"

Buffy felt her blood boil. Every comment the demon made seemed to be a dig on either Xander or her or the both of them and she didn’t appreciate it. "The salvation thing is your deal, isn’t it? You’re just here to ride on my coattails…And I’m not going to play ‘kissy face’," she told him as if it were any of his business. "I was going to go out with some friends."

"Well," Angel sighed. "Change of plans."

"We shall work to figure out where this will happen." Giles cut in, "All we know is that these vampires who are involved need quite a few bodies to open the gates. The Master will gain his strength through the one the call the Vessel."

"So I kill him and the whole things off, right?"

"Simply put," Angel told her. "But it’s not so easy. The Vessel is strong. And we don’t know where he’s going to be."

Buffy rolled her eyes at him and opened her mouth to speak, but then turned to see the library doors swinging behind a confused looking Xander. "I had to photo copy something…"

"Library’s closed." Angel growled as the boy fixed his gaze on Buffy.

Xander smirked at the other man whom he recognized from the hospital the night Jesse died. "But I couldn’t help overhearing…" He meandered towards the group under the intense gaze of Angel and Giles, until he was standing next to Buffy.

"You didn’t overhear much," Buffy told him over her shoulder. "He’s just sitting her fonting nothing."

Angel dropped his eyes to the floor again but Giles spoke. He didn’t have time for the insipient ping pong match of love and love lost between these children…and they were all children. "As I assume that you’re going to be involved in this Mr. Harris," he gathered since the young boy had taken to shadowing Buffy in the presence of Angel. "We are simply trying to find out…"

"You said they need a lot of people." Xander interrupted.

"Yeah," Angel shrugged. "And they probably need…"

"Where do kids flock to on a Friday night?" the teenaged boy turned to Buffy with a confident look in his eyes. He got momentarily distracted by the sound of a low growl that cam from Angel’s direction and narrowed his eyes suspiciously for a moment.

"The Bronze." Buffy interrupted his thoughts. "They’re going to the Bronze."

"And so are we." Angel settled and tossed the book back down to the table. "I’ll go gather some weapons and bring them back here."

"Weapons?" Xander piped up hopefully.

"No," Buffy shook her head. "Not for you. You’re door duty." She softened at the disappointed look the settled over Xander’s features. "I just don’t want you getting hurt," she whispered to him and leaned into his side.

Xander turned away from her slightly but Buffy followed his movement. "I want you there Xander. I do. But if anything happened to you…"

Xander dropped his gaze and met Buffy’s pleading eyes. "Door duty," he said tight lipped. "I’m on it."

"Okay," Angel said loudly to break the moment. "We got the fighters…and the backup." He added to Xander, "I’m going to go stock up."

Xander and Buffy watched the man turn and move fluidly back to the stack from where he had emerged earlier that morning. "There’s no door up there?" Xander questioned, glancing back and forth between his friend and her Watcher.

"Does anybody else really hate that guy?" Buffy asked out loud.

Xander didn’t answer, but instead just looked confused at where the man had disappeared. "There’s no door up there."

"Why don’t you two head back to class," Giles shook his head at the wreckage that the line of Slayers had been reduced to. A Slayer with a social life, family, friends, a vampire helper…

Buffy nodded and grabbed Xander’s arm, pulling him slowly towards the entrance.

"And do fill him in so that people won’t think that he’s suffered mental damage." Giles added behind them. "Although I fear it might be too late."

Xander turned and shot the man a glare, but then nodded his head. "Good one."

Giles nodded in congratulations to himself. "I was, wasn’t it?"

"Quality." Buffy said dismissively. "I’ll be back after school to train." She called back over her shoulder as she continued to drag the boy along.

Giles nodded and watched the doors swing shut behind the two friends. "They are the strangest children."

~*~*~

Xander let Buffy guide him in silence until they turned the corner and were out if sight of the library. "So," he prodded, a little more than confused at what was going on. "Why was Angel…"

"Do you have a particular attachment to Algebra?" she cut him off and whirled hopefully to face him.

"No," Xander shook his head. "In fact, I’d go as far as to say that I hate him, and would like to see that character dead." He smiled at her giggle and noticed that she had yet to release his hand. In fact Buffy had taken to swinging it back and forth between them. "Why?"

"I’m just not in a class place right now," Buffy bit her bottom lip and glanced at their hands before tugging him further down the hall while still facing him.

Xander glance over her shoulder and recognized one of the familiar utility closets that the school had obviously had put in because they could see how useful they would be to him one day and smiled. "I’m guessing you’re not going to explain now then?" Not that he had a problem with that – right now. He supposed it could wait a few more hours…

Buffy shook her head negative. "Later?"

The dark haired boy raised his eyebrows as they reached the destination that neither of them had directly discussed. "Well…alright."

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

The End Part 14c