Love and everything that goes with it
by Bwriter
Part four
[reviews]
Part four
a/n everything will be explained in due time - ps thanks for the positive feedback
Xander stepped forward when he saw Buffy Vamp out. Cordy tried pulling him back but he shook her off. Raising his hand he rested it on Buffy's shoulder, glad when she didn't growl at him. Or worse.
"Buffy."
His voice cut through the red haze that had settled over her.
She looked at the boy she was holding by the neck and saw the fear of in face and smelt it coming off him in waves. Her demon was doing a happy dance in her head and Buffy dropped him before stepping back.
"Get out of my sight and stay the fuck away from now on. Next time I see you, you die." The words were growls and Todd nodded before running away.
Xander backed away from the angry Vampire, watching as she calmed herself down.
"You okay?"
Buffy looked over at Xander before shaking her demon off and nodding her head.
"Come on, I'll walk you home."
Xander took Cordy's hand and followed Buffy, staying a few steps behind.
Buffy stopped before turning to face them.
"Who was he?"
Xander caught up with her, pulling Cordy with him.
"Todd Clover. He used to pick on me and Will but after the whole leather thing with Vamp Willow he got it into his head that he had to have her."
Buffy stopped and forced them to stop by placing her hand on Xander's arm.
"Leather. Vamp Willow?"
Xander told Buffy all about how the Vampire double of Willow had been brought to their dimension by a spell and how they sent her back.
Buffy listened and pictured a leather clad Willow.
/she would make a beautiful demon/
'never gonna happen, not on my watch'
"There but for the grace of getting bit." She whispered the words to herself but Xander heard.
The next week passed quickly. The gang were enjoying the summer break, spending most of the days at the beach or park, soaking up the sun.
The two Vampires of the group didn't have that option and spent most of their free time during the day researching with Giles or sparing.
That's what they were doing when the gang came by, having just gotten back from the beach the girls were in shorts and string vests while the guys were in shorts and tee-shirts.
They entered the library to the sight of Buffy and Angel trading blows.
The research table had been moved to the front of the library to give them more space and that's were the gang sat down to watch, no-one making a sound.
The two Vampires were aware that the humans of the gang were now there and decided to put on a show.
Buffy nodded to Angel's raised eyebrow and they went all out.
Fists flew and were blocked followed by kicks. Some landed and some didn't and neither could gain the upped hand until out of the corner of her eye Buffy spotted Oz leaning over to whisper something into Willow's ear. Willow's top made Buffy pause.
That split second was all Angel needed and he took her down with a well placed kick to the chest.
Buffy flew back and banged into the banister that ran along the top floor. Angel followed her and offered her a hand up which she took.
"Good fight."
Angel had seen Buffy get distracted by Willow and knew that if it happened in a real fight, she would be dust and he wasn't one bit happy about it.
Holding in his temper in front of the gang he spoke very quietly for only Buffy's ears. He had forgotten how good Faith's hearing was.
"Get it together. Stop drooling over Willow and concentrate. If this had been real you'd be dust."
Buffy heard the anger in his voice and knew that he was worried. She also knew he was right. If it happened it happened yet she didn't really worry about getting dusty.
Faith's eyebrows reached her hairline when she heard that. She hadn't known the Vampire had feelings for her best friend and Angel hadn't said a word to her about it.
Looking over at her friend she saw her listening to whatever Oz was saying in her ear. Faith thought back on how the two had acted when they had dated.
Willow had been shy about the relationship while Oz had been his usual self. Everything was going fine until the incident with Willow and Xander.
She and Oz hadn't gotten back together after that though Xander and Cordy had worked everything out.
Before meeting Willow's Vamp double, Faith would have never even thought that she might be gay or at least bi.
Faith looked between Buffy and Willow and decided that she would keep an eye on things. She still didn't fully trust Buffy and she didn't want to see her best friend hurt. She also didn't like that Buffy was so close to Angel. She didn't even know the story of their history together because he had never said anything. She was worried they had been lovers at one point.
The two Vampires joined the gang at the table and Angel noticed Faith's frown.
"What's wrong?"
Faith looked around and saw everyone was now watching her.
"Nothing."
Buffy left shortly after the gang arrived. She knew she didn't have a shot at Willow, what with her dating Oz but it didn't mean she had to sit and watch them being all cosy together.
Angel follow Buffy out, kissing Faith goodbye and promising to meet the gang later at the Bronze.
Buffy stopped outside the school when she felt her Sire approach her.
"You okay?"
Buffy nodded her head that she was.
"How long have they been dating?"
Angel threw her a look wondering who she was talking about.
"Xander and Cordy?"
"No Willow and Oz."
He got it now. She was jealous. He knew how Buffy's demon got when it was jealous or possessive and was never more glad than that moment that she had her soul.
"They aren't. At least not anymore." He proceeded to fill her in on the dating history of the gang.
Something had been nagging Buffy and she decided to ask Angel about it.
"Did you meet her Vampire double?"
Angel nodded his head but said nothing causing Buffy to prod further.
"She was... different. She had the whole leather look going for her. She must have been powerful, the Vamps she meet here were scared of her and I didn't like the way she looked at Faith."
Buffy gave him a funny look at that.
"You mean because, being a Vampire, she wanted to eat her?"
Angel smirked.
"In a way."
He laughed at the look on Buffy's face when she realised just what he was saying.
Buffy was woke up the next day when she heard voices in the main room. Getting up she threw on some clothes and left to greet the Slayer and Willow.
When she reached the room Faith was sitting on the couch and Willow was sitting at the fire place.
"Hey."
Willow jumped, she hadn't known that either Buffy or Angel would be up at this time. It was still two hours 'til sunset. Faith however knew that the Vampire was there and greeted her.
"Hey B."
Buffy made her way to the kitchen to heat up some blood, fidgeting when the pair followed her in.
"You want anything?"
"Coffee." Was the Slayer's reply.
"Willow?"
Willow looked away from the microwave that was currently heating up Buffy's blood and shook her head no.
Buffy busied herself with making Faith's coffee and ignored the microwave when it beeped.
Faith watched Buffy and could tell that she was uncomfortable about eating in front of them, though Faith thought it had more to do with eating in front of Willow.
She had gone through this with Angel when they had first started dating and figured she'd help Buffy out a little.
Opening the microwave she brought out the bag of blood before cutting it open and pouring the contents into a mug.
Willow watched this and understood what Faith was trying to do, sending her a smile that Buffy couldn't see.
Buffy took the mug off Faith and handed her the coffee before they headed back out to the main room.
"What's up? You two don't look so happy."
Willow looked at Faith and Faith nodded that she should tell.
"You remember that guy from the other night?"
Buffy did and so did her demon. Her eyes flashed and both girls saw it.
"Well he was found early this morning by police. His throat had been ripped out."
Buffy took all this in. She didn't really care one way or the other and she wonder why they were telling-
"You think it was me." It was a quiet statement.
They exchanged guilty looks, giving her her answer.
Buffy suddenly wasn't hungry anymore and set her mug down just a Angel walked in.
"That for me?" He pointed to the mug and Buffy gave it to him.
He looked around the faces and knew something was wrong.
"What's with the long faces?"
"They think I killed someone." Buffy was able to get the words out but she didn't know how.
She had thought that they would at least give her the benefit of the doubt by now but they seemed to have declared her guilty.
Angel looked to Faith.
"Explain."
She did. He already knew about the incidents with the boy and when Faith had told him of the killing he looked at Buffy.
As a demon, she wouldn't have hesitated to kill the boy, he knew that better than anyone, but with the soul... they had enough blood on their hands, she wouldn't add to it. Would she? He wasn't so sure where Willow was concerned.
"Did you do it?"
Buffy threw Angel a hurt look. Out of everyone she thought that he at least would believe her.
Standing up she walked over the fireplace and watched the flames, wondering who had lit it in the first place.
"Would it really matter?" If they didn't trust her then why were they keeping her around? Oh yeah, prophecy on its way and a world in peril.
Angel stayed where he was. He looked at Faith and asked her how the boy died.
"He had his throat ripped out and every bone in his hands broke."
Buffy's back stiffened. No wonder they thought it was her. Hell if she didn't know better she would probably think it was her.
Angel threw Buffy a glance. He had to be sure.
"Childe. Did you kill him?" A question that demanded an answer.
"No Sire." She never hesitated to give him his answer.
Angel sat back, happy she was telling the truth.
"She's not the killer."
Buffy turned then.
"Pity it took a Sire's command to demonstrate that, which by the way you said you wouldn't do anymore."
Buffy took one look at each face before leaving the room and going to her bedroom.
/should have killed the asshole when we had the chance/
'NOT NOW'
Throwing on some going out clothes, that consisted of a pair of faded jeans and a tank top, Buffy grabbed her coat before going back into the main room.
There was just one problem she realised when she got there. The sun wasn't going to set for another two hours.
/idiot/
She bent down by the fire and picked up her book before turning and starting to head back to her room when she was called, turning she saw Willow sitting there on her own.
"Where's Angel and the Slayer?"
"Kitchen."
Buffy sat down on the couch but not to close to Willow.
"Sure you wanna be alone with me?" asked Buffy.
"I felt guilty." Willow didn't want to answer that question. She didn't have the answer but she did know that she was drawn to the demon beside her and she didn't know why.
Buffy turned and sat so she was facing her.
"About?"
"Todd. If you had killed him, then you did it in part because of me."
Buffy sighted and threw the book onto the table before making herself more comfortable.
"I wanted to. When I had him pinned to the wall, I nearly did. Xander stopped me. But even if I had it wouldn't have been your fault. Don't feel guilty for something you had no control over."
Willow sent her that little half smile she loved.
"Why?"
Buffy was thrown by the question and it showed on her face.
"Why did you want him dead."
"Because he hurt you." The words were out before Buffy could take them back so she carried on. "And he was going to hurt Xander and Cordy."
Willow thought over what Buffy had said.
"That doesn't really answer the question."
Buffy ran her hand through her hair, she wasn't used to talking about her feelings.
"I've never really had friends, well apart from Angel and even that's pushing it the past hundred years or so, but when I came here, I saw how you guys helped each other, how you cared. How you tried. I was starting to feel like one of the group, I mean I know I'm not, not really, once this prophecy thing blows over, there won't be much use for me and I understand that I do its just... never mind, you don't need to listen to me go on."
Willow looked the Vampire before her with new eyes. She had read some of the things that had been written about her in Giles books which was why she was finding it hard to trust her, but the person before her was a stark contrast to the one she had read about.
"What?"
Buffy was lost in old memories and it took her a second to realise that Willow was talking to her.
"Sorry what?"
Willow smiled before saying, "That's what I said."
Buffy seemed to understand her and thought back over what she had just said, trying to find what she wanted to say in words and not emotion.
"I don't belong in your world. I wish to god that I did but I don't, that's why I isolated myself all these years. Can't be a demon and can't be a human."
Willow heard the sadness in her voice and tried to make her feel better.
"But you had a purpose, I mean you came here. The powers sent someone to you just like they did Angel, so see, they do care."
She had meant to cheer Buffy up, but she watched as a tear slipped from her eye before she could stop it.
"They don't care. Angel yes, me no. Nobody came to ask me to make something of myself, I was just passing through and had good timing. No "fight evil, work for redemption" for me. I can never make up for the things I've done no matter what I do. If nothing I do matters, then all that matters is what I do. 'cause that's all there is, the here and now. Angel may be redeemable but I'm not."
Buffy got up and left the room just as Angel and Faith came back in, both having heard what she was saying.
/nice speech moron/
'go to hell'
Angel looked at Willow who had tears in her eyes, to Faith, who's own eyes were moist and headed after Buffy.
Knocking on her door he waited for her to answer, when she didn't he opened the door and went in.
Buffy was standing by the book shelf searching for something.
"Are you okay?"
Buffy snorted.
"Stop asking me that."
Angel sat on her bed and waited for her to join him.
"You really believe everything you just said?"
Buffy shrugged her shoulders and lay down.
"They came for you, not me so I guess they believe it enough for all of us."
Angel didn't know what to say to that so he laid back and rested beside her.
"You ever feel old?"
Buffy turned her head to face him and waited for his answer.
"I'm over three hundred years old. There are times when I feel my age. How about you?"
Buffy stared at the ceiling thinking.
"I don't know why I'm here. I feel like I'm just existing. The demon constantly wants out and the fight to keep it in gets harder and harder the older I get."
Angel heard the loneliness in her voice and more guilt was heaped onto his shoulders.
"I made a mistake and I'm sorry for it. I should never have left you there. I knew what was happening and I just left you to deal with it alone."
Buffy rested her hand against his cheek and heard the beginning of tears in his voice.
"It's not your fault. None of it."
"I made you a demon, I'd say a lot of it is my fault."
They were interrupted by a knock on the door.
Angel opened it to see Willow on the other side.
"Faith wasn't feeling good so she left. She asked me to tell you."
Angel looked back at Buffy.
"Go."
He nodded his head before kissing her on the forehead and leaving.
Willow watched the scene with accusing eyes.
"How is he gonna go after her if it's still day?"
Buffy opened her eyes to see Willow standing stiffly at her bedroom door.
"He'll take the tunnels and track her scent."
Willow nodded her head that she understood and stood there not knowing what to do.
Buffy saw this and sighed before standing up and putting her shoes back on.
She led the way back to the main room.
"How come you never went with her?"
Willow stood up before moving to the door.
"I'll go."
/Damnit stop her!/
"Wait!"
Willow paused before turning back to face Buffy then made her way back to the couch and sat.
Now that Buffy had her back, she had no idea what to say. Her demon had told her to do something and she had done it. She wasn't sure on whether or not to be worried about that or not.