Aftermath and College
by Bwriter
Chapter thirteen
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Chapter thirteen
The rest of the night went well. If you grade by Sunnydale's terms that is. They listened to the band play, watched as Tom kicked Xander's ass at pool, and laughed at Jonny's attempt to dance. All in all, Buffy was having fun.
She looked up when a shadow feel over her, to see a brunette standing beside her.
"Hi. I'm Tammy. Want to dance?"
Buffy got a deer-caught-in-headlights look on her face, so Faith dived in and saved her.
Sliding up beside Buffy, Faith wrapped an arm around her sister Slayer, while glaring at the brunette.
"She's spoken for."
With a scowl, the girl walked away.
Buffy turned to Faith and gave her a smile.
"Thank you."
Faith nodded her head that it was fine, before catching the look on Willow's face.
When she saw Faith, of all people, slide up to Buffy, Willow had to strain to keep her mouth from dropping open.
She had always had jealously issues concerning Faith, but everytime they had come up in the past, Buffy had a knack for taking her mind off it.
Faith smirked inside.
Turning to Buffy, she put on her best leer.
"So, want to dance?"
Buffy had missed what Faith had saw, and had no clue about what Faith was up to, so she agreed.
"Sure. You coming Will?"
At least Buffy had offered.
"No, you two go on." The words tasted bitter in her mouth.
The two Slayer's walked off onto the dance floor together, leaving the green eyed monster in place of Willow.
Five minutes later, and everyone on the dance floor and in the club in general, were clued to the dancing duo.
They contrasted each other to every extreme.
One was dark, one was light. One was decked out in leather, the other was decked out in skin tight pants and top. One was dancing like she was having sex, the other was just dancing, letting the music move her.
Willow watched as Faith moved even closer to. She grabbed her by the waist and pulled the blonde in closer. Willow sighed in relief when Buffy gently eased the other Slayer away with a smile.
She really is beautiful, Willow thought.
"How come your not dancing Will?"
Willow jumped and turned to see Xander and Anya.
"I figured it would be a little crowded."
Xander followed her line of sight and chuckled.
He knew what Faith was up too, he was in on the plan too, as was Anya.
"They would make a cute couple," seeing Willow's look he rushed on, "I mean if it really is over between you two."
Willow looked away, not having an answer to what she knew had been a question.
"I'm going to head home early. I'm a little tired." It was a lie, but the others didn't call her on it.
"Where you getting off to then?"
Willow looked up to see that Jonny, Mike and Tom had arrived back.
"Hey guys. I'm getting tried, going to head home and go to bed."
They all frowned.
"Alone?"
"Yeah, its not that far, I can walk no problem," she pulled out the cross she had in her pocket, "see?"
The three bodyguards exchanged looks, all knowing that if they let Willow leave, and something happened, Buffy would kill them. Literally.
"How about we walk with you?"
"Tom, really, I'll be safe."
Willow was just about to walk away when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
Buffy had looked over to see Willow standing up, talking to Tom. Looking closely, she saw the words Willow was saying, and the reply she was getting from Tom.
Leaving Faith standing there, she had made her way over to the table.
Just as Willow was about to leave, Buffy stopped her.
"Leaving so soon?"
Willow, by this point, was fed up with people asking her that.
"Yes. I'm tired and I want to go home. Now if no-one else has a problem, I'm going to do just that. God, people, I'm not a kid, stop molly coddling me."
Willow knew she was being unfair, and she knew that in the world they lived in, it was good of them to worry, but she couldn't seem to care at the minute.
Buffy withdrew her hand but kept her eyes locked with Willow's.
Things were different, she was different.
She could feel the power, bubbling just below the surface and struggled to calm herself.
"Did you forget where we are? Hellmouth? Nothing is ever safe when it should be."
Willow rolled her eyes, though inside she was happy Buffy worried about her.
Pointing to her face, which was now set on its "resolve" look, Willow told Buffy she'd be fine and turned to walk away.
"Fine. Ignore me. I'm just the Slayer." Buffy turned from Willow and started talking to Tom.
When she knew Willow was gone she started after her.
"I'll meet you back here in half an hour, that should be enough time to follow her home and get back here."
Buffy followed after Willow, easily catching up with her, but staying back so she wouldn't be seen. She could hear her mumbling about "slayer's thinking they know better" and "skanky brunettes" and people being "overprotective" over letting her walk home alone.
When a Vampire blocked her way, Willow suddenly wanted nothing more than to have Buffy with her.
Buffy saw red when she saw the Vampire.
Willow didn't know what happened. One minute, there was a Vampire, the next, there was Buffy standing in front of her, the dust that used to be the Vampire, floating around them.
Willow opened her mouth to speak, but one look at Buffy's face stopped her.
Buffy knew she had to calm down, but seeing that Vampire, and knowing what could have happened was making her a little unsteady.
"Willow. I don't know what is going on with you tonight. You were fine up until a little while ago, but whatever it is... get over it. If I hadn't followed you, that Vampire would have killed you," Buffy paused to consider something else that made her blood boil, "or turned you. What happened in the last half hour to piss you off?"
Willow could have swore she saw the power dancing in Buffy's eyes.
Lowering her head, she looked away. It wasn't like she could tell Buffy that she was jealous of Faith. That would give Buffy mixed signals, and damn if Willow didn't have enough of those herself.
Buffy wanted to scream and shout at the redheads stubborn nature, instead she let lose a growl that had Willow snapping her head back in shock.
Buffy noticed, what she thought was fear in Willow's eyes and doubled her efforts to calm herself, but everytime she closed her eyes, she saw a dead Willow. Or worse, a Vampiric Willow.
"Buffy, what happened to you in England?" The question surprised Buffy.
"What's that got to do with your not thinking clearly?"
Willow sighed and leaned against the wall.
"Nothing. But I would like to know."
Buffy scanned the area around then, not sensing anything demonic, apart from Angel who was lurking around the corner.
"Hey Angel. Do me a favour? Head back to the Bronze and tell the guys I walked Willow home and we are having a chat. Tell Faith to take the guys on patrol and I will meet them later.
Willow was looking at Buffy like she had finally lost it.
When Angel stepped from around the corner, she was glad she was leaning against the wall. Buffy had never been able to pick out a Vampire like that before.
"Sure thing. Night guys." Angel left, his coat billowing behind him.
Buffy pushed off the wall and turned to Willow.
"Your place or the dorm?"
"My place, its empty, we can talk there."
They headed off into the night, one with a queasy feeling in her gut, and one wondering just what the night would bring.
tbc