Part 8

 

It seemed like hours that Buffy was nestled into Angel’s embrace. His arms were hard and smooth, and she fit perfectly against him, like pieces of a puzzle that were finally reunited. Time didn’t have any relevance. All that mattered was she was pressed up against him… safe and content.

 

When Angel pulled away from her, Buffy couldn’t help but feel her heart sink a little. He stared down at her with deep brown eyes, and Buffy felt the first shoots of desire swell through her body. Breathing hard she closed her eyes and reached out to grasp his hand. Angel took her little hand in his and marveled at the way that even their palms seemed to meld together.

 

Smoothing back a strand of blonde hair that had come undone from Buffy’s lavish hair style, Angel was happy to study her. Feeling his eyes on her, Buffy blushed slightly from the attention. Lids still shut, she gasped in surprise when nimble fingers brushed her cheek. Swallowing, Buffy opened her eyes to find Angel *very* close to her. He closed the last few inches between them, pressing his lips against her soft ones.

 

Involuntarily, she closed her eyes again, and enjoyed the feel of being in his arms, with his cool lips pressing against hers. Small whines of pleasure escaped her mouth as his hands traveled a blazing path through her hair, past her neck, and down her back. When Angel pulled away, Buffy could have sworn that the world was spinning just a little bit.

 

“You’re so amazing,” Angel whispered in awe.

 

Buffy pulled his hand up to her lips, and pressed a feather light kiss to his knuckles. “You’re not too bad yourself,” she murmured surprised when her voice sounded husky.

 

Angel gave a weak smile, and Buffy was sad to notice that it still didn’t reach his eyes. “Are you glad that you came aboard this ship?”

 

“I HATE this ship,” Buffy declared, with venom in her voice.

 

Angel looked at her in surprise, immediately deciding the reason was because of all the pain that he had cause her in the past few days. “I’m sorry…”

 

Narrowing her eyes at him, Buffy said. “No! It’s not you! I just… I haven’t had the best couple of days.”

 

“I’m sorry,” Angel repeated looking like a whipped puppy.

 

Buffy rolled her eyes. ‘Does he always assume that everything is his fault?’ “NOT. YOU.”

 

Stepping away from her, Angel walked to the other side of the room. “Look I just want you to know that I’m never going to be normal. I can’t be what a regular man is.”

 

“I get it, already,” Buffy snapped, “and believe it or not, I’m not exactly Ms. Normal either.

Angel sighed, frustrated. “No. You’re the slayer. But that doesn’t mean…”

 

Buffy let out a long breath. “You’re right. I’m just a girl who doesn’t know what she wants. Is that it?”

 

“No… I don’t think that about you—”

 

“Then STOP it! I like *YOU*!” Without another word, Buffy turned and stomped out the door. Her heart was pounding in her ears, and she wanted to cry at the feeling of being separated from him.

 

“Buffy… wait!”

 

Buffy turned, and anger coloured her face and words, while her heart screamed in protest. “I thought we already covered this! You said that you wouldn’t ever think that I’m better off with someone else!”

 

Angel groaned, annoyed. “I didn’t say THAT! I’m just making sure you know what you’re getting into.”

 

“Oh, that’s great,” Buffy spat. “Reading me the warning label now. Perfect. I guess, now that you’re so sure that you’re COMPLETELY the WRONG man for me, I better go back after Riley. Thank you so much, Angel, for the warning.”

 

“Buffy stop!” he yelled. “I didn’t mean that.”

 

With a shake of her head, Buffy fled out the door once more. “Talk to me when you grow up!”

 

“I’m not the one that needs to learn something about growing up!” Angel snapped.

 

 Buffy spun around, her eyes blazing. “You might want to do something about this door.” Angry, she turned on her heel and made a dramatic exit. Angel stood with his mouth open watching the door and hoping crazily that she would come back.

 

‘Good. Way to be smooth, Genius.’ Stomach gnawing at him in guilt, Angel paced. She was just a girl, he was a hundred and something year-old vampire. She didn’t know enough to make decisions about love and life.

 

Or so he told himself.

 

Angel stopped and looked at his broken door. He was going to need to find someone to fix it. Too bad it was still day.

 

‘What if she loves me?’ A small, nagging part of his brain asked. ‘That’s ridiculous!’ he thought at once. ‘Impossible!’

 

Angel stared at his broken door. ‘But, what if she does love me?’

 

Buffy stomped down the hall with a scowl on her face. Her fists clenched and unclenched spastically at her sides. She vaguely realized that it was getting close to dinner and her mother was expecting her to be there. ‘To show off her wonderful daughter to all the great new people she’s met, no doubt,’ Buffy thought bitterly.

 

Sighing, she fumed when she noticed the figure approaching her. “STUPID, boys,” she hissed under her breath. The person only continued to come closer, apparently not noticing the large look of annoyance on Buffy’s face.

 

“Buffy!” Riley cried, excitedly. Buffy flinched. “Are you okay?”

 

“Fine,” Buffy snapped.

 

“Did he hurt you? If he did… I’ll kill him,” he promised determinedly.

 

“He didn’t hurt me.”

 

Riley looked a little hurt. “What happened? Why did you go rushing off like that?”

 

“I was planning on staking him,” Buffy said icily.

 

Riley stared at her confused. “Staking?” he paused and realization dawned in his eyes. “Oh… you mean you neutralized him?”

 

“Sure. If that’s what you call it.”

 

Riley blushed a little. “But he’s so strong… and you’re so little.” Riley frowned and thought a minute. “No, this is good. No one will ever accept the fact that you’re the reason for his disappearance. People will just figure he went overboard or something. This is good.”

 

Buffy shook her head and resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “I didn’t stake him.”

 

Riley gaped at her. “Wh… what?” he stuttered.

 

Buffy shrugged eyes downcast. “I didn’t kill him.”

 

“But you… I…” Riley’s mouth opened and closed like a fish. “You just… but…”

 

“Riley, I… I think…” Buffy sighed. ‘Oh, to hell with it.’ “I love him,” she admitted.

 

“WHAT????” he shrieked.

 

“Shush!” Buffy hissed. “Say it a little louder, why don’t you?”

 

“He’s a vampire!” Riley roared. “How can you have…” Riley gulped, “feelings for him?”

 

Buffy stared off into space dreamily. “He’s more than a vampire. He’s good and sweet… and selfless.” As an afterthought she added, “Stupid men.”

 

Riley narrowed his eyes. “You didn’t kill him?”

 

This time Buffy did roll her eyes. “No, Riley, I didn’t kill him.”

 

“Because you love him?”

 

“That’s right, Riley.”

 

“Because he’s good???”

 

“Exactly.”

 

Riley shook his head. “You’re one complicated girl.”

 

Buffy stared sadly down the hall from where she had just come. “I am.”

 

“My superiors aren’t going to like the fact that I purposely let a hostile go.”

 

Buffy looked at him hopefully.

 

Riley rubbed at his shoulder painfully and winced. “I think it would be a little painful for me to go near him, anyway.”

 

“And I’d have to kill you if you touched him.” Buffy said. Riley looked shocked, and Buffy couldn’t help but give a little chuckle. “He’s a stupid annoying vampire,” she clarified, “but he’s *my* stupid annoying vampire, and you can’t dust him.”

 

“I’ll remember that,” Riley stuttered.

 

Buffy managed to give a little smile. ‘Riley’s a dimwit, but he’s kind of sweet in his own way.’

 

She was about part ways with Riley, when another person came running down the hall towards her. Buffy let out no small groan when she saw who it was. The person came right up, and knocking Riley out of her way, stood facing Buffy with her hands on her hips. “What do you think you were doing?” Cordelia Chase yelled. “Knocking down poor Angel’s door like that. Poor thing wouldn’t even look at me when I came to see him.” Cordelia tossed her hair over her shoulder, and her beautiful red lips formed a little pout. “He looked so upset and confused… took a lot from me to comfort him.”

 

“He sent you away, didn’t he?” Buffy said snidely, though, her stomach quivered in fear and jealousy.

 

Cordelia smiled coldly. “You’d like to think that, Buffy. You might be super-strong or whatever, but I know how to work a man.”

 

Buffy’s insides froze. She hated to admit that Cordelia spoke the truth. ‘But not Angel,’ her mind screamed in protest. ‘Not Angel.’

 

Riley, who had recovered his wits after being tossed aside, was watching Cordelia with a look of pure awe on his face. Coming forward he absentmindedly shoved Buffy out of the way. Staring at her, he stuck out his hand. “Hi… I’m Riley Finn.”

 

Cordelia narrowed her eyes at him. “What do you want?”

 

Riley didn’t appear flustered in the least. In fact, a slow silly smile spread across his face. “I don’t believe that I’ve seen you around here before.”

 

Cordelia seemed to loosen up. She gave him a good once over from top to bottom and(,) liking what she saw, gave a tentative smile. “I think you’re right.”

 

Riley beamed. “I know this may seem abrupt… but would you mind accompanying me to dinner?”

 

Cordelia gave a shy little laugh, and playfully tapped him on the arm. “I would love to.”

 

Happily, Riley offered his arm, which she gladly accepted. Smiles wide, and eyes glowing, Cordelia and Riley disappeared down the hall, clearly forgetting all about Buffy. Buffy, happy to have been abandoned, sagged against the wall. She watched the pair disappear with wide eyes. “This world cannot get any weirder,” she muttered.

Standing up straighter, she shook herself both mentally and physically. “Okay, that’s it!” Stomping she went back down the hall from where she had originally came. Without a backwards glance, she walked right through Angel’s broken doorway. She found him leaning miserably against the wall watching her with guarded eyelids.

 

Buffy glared at him and walked right up to where he was standing so she could get into his face. “Okay, you. I’m only saying this once so you better listen to me.”

 

Angel opened his mouth to argue but one look from Buffy, and he closed it again.

 

“I said that you BETTER LISTEN!”

 

“I’m listening,” Angel said quickly.

 

Buffy nodded. “Good.” Angel stared at her with questioning eyes. Buffy stared back. Suddenly, giving herself a little shake she gave a guilty smile. “I guess I’m supposed to say something…”

 

Angel shrugged since he had been ordered not to talk.

 

“I think you’re stupid,” Buffy finally snapped. “I think that you’re confused and have some major identity issues. You don’t feel good about yourself. You don’t believe that you’re a good person. You think you’re a monster. You don’t know how to have a good conversation with the girl you claim to have feelings for.”

 

“Hey—”

 

Buffy glared at him. “AND you’re an idiot.”

 

“You know,” Angel protested, “this really isn’t helping things any…”

 

Buffy’s eyes softened. “But YOU ARE a good person. You SHOULD feel good about yourself. And you most certainly ARE NOT a monster. So get OVER it!”

 

“Buffy… I…”

 

“DON’T BUFFY ME!!!” she yelled. “I know what I want. I’m not a kid. So DEAL with it!”

 

Turning she fled towards the door. She was almost there when Angel leaned forward and grabbed her elbow. Spinning her around, she felt herself pinned against his larger frame. Wide eyed, Buffy could do nothing but stare at him.

 

Leaning forward he brushed his mouth against hers in a quick kiss. “Thank you,” he murmured.

 

Flustered, Buffy blushed. “No… problem.”

 

As abruptly as when he pulled her against him, Angel let her go. Buffy gulped. Hard. There was a stretch of silence that seemed to go on forever and rocket through the room, making it smaller and somehow cramped. All Buffy could see where Angel’s eyes on hers, and with a jolt she realized she loved him. ‘I really do. I really really really do,’ she thought in awe.

 

“I’ll see you soon, then,” Buffy said uncomfortably, her words sounding forced even to her own ears.

 

Angel shifted. “I guess so.”

 

“I better. I really hope that the whole lecture thing wasn’t for nothing. You did learn something from all this, right?” Buffy babbled.

 

Angel pressed a finger to her lips. “You’ll see me again,” he whispered.

 

‘Oh. My. God.’ Buffy thought a little hysterical. “When?” she murmured, her throat dry.

 

Angel gave her a slow, soul-shattering, deep, world-spinning, smile “Sometime,” he answered cryptically.

 

Buffy nodded. “Okay.”

 

“Go have dinner.” Angel nodded in the direction of the door.

 

Buffy stared at him a beat. ‘Should I ask him to come with me?’ she wondered. ‘I want him to. I want us to have dinner together. And I want to be able to show him off to Mom and Giles. I want to be able to tell him how much I care about him.’ Buffy studied his face wanting to express her feelings. Her heart sank a little, and she worried that there was a reason why he didn’t suggest them having dinner together. ‘Does he feel the same way about me? He’s been around so much longer than me… why waste his time on little old me?’

 

“Buffy?” Angel questioned.

 

“Huh?”

 

“You’re staring.”

 

Buffy flushed in embarrassment. “Oh, I… sorry,” she fumbled. “I’m leaving now… don’t worry.”

 

Angel grabbed her arm again. He spun her around until she was pressed tightly against him. Lowering his mouth, he gave her a firm gentle kiss. “I’ll see you later,” he told her, his voice hoarse.

 

Buffy, barely being able to nod, and wishing her head would stop spinning, managed to stumble her way out of his stateroom. She was down the hall and halfway to the dining hall when she realized that she never told him that she loved him.

 

She shrugged. It was probably better this way, anyway.  He should say it first.

 

Angel sighed watching her go. He’d been so close to inviting himself to go with her. Scowling, he mentally went back over the list of why that wouldn’t work. He was a vampire. A vampire with a conscience, but still a vampire. And vampires had special needs. Drinking blood in order to survive was one of them. Over the years Angel had learned that he had some great self-control. He’d been in jammed cities, such as London, and hadn’t fed on a human since he got his soul back. Still, he hadn’t had a meal in a good few days, and his stomach was starting to gurgle at him.

 

A roomful of rich, young, beautiful people would certainly test his self-control, and frankly, Angel wasn’t feeling well enough to handle it if he didn’t have to. ‘I have plenty of time to have dinner with Buffy,’ Angel reasoned, ‘we still have quite a while to go until we get to New York. And, once there, I do have all the time in the world to have dinner with Buffy. Unless, of course, I’m lucky enough to fall on a stake.’

 

With a grim smile, Angel made his way out of his stateroom. Night was swiftly closing in on the sea. Though Angel had no sense of temperature and couldn’t easily tell hot from cold, he noticed that only a few people were milling about on the Promenade. Those people that were, donned heavy fur coats and jackets. The only logical reason for this was that it was very cold out.

 

The first thing he had to do was find a workman or steward or *something* to fix his door because he had been getting funny looks from people that passed his room all day. A small smile flitted across his lips thinking about Buffy. She was truly… something else. It filled his old dead heart with warmth just thinking about her. Thinking about her, though, brought up his old fears and doubts. He knew now that he could never walk away from her, no matter how much better it would be for her. One look into her angry, accusing face this afternoon had weakened him. Buffy Summers was stuck with him. For better or worse.

 

Angel was pulled out of his brooding when he noticed a steward staring at him with a gaping mouth and wide eyes. His expression was almost comical, and Angel was sure that the steward looked almost afraid of him. He was just a boy with short, cropped, dark brown hair. His posture was terrible, and he looked like he might fall on his face from slouching over so far.

 

His name tag identified him as Alexander Harris.

 

Xander pointed a shaking finger at Angel. “It’s you!” he cried.

 

Angel glanced around nervously. ‘If this guy is a friend of Riley’s, then I know that everyone on this ship is out to get me.’

 

Xander advanced with a scowl. “I saw what you did to Riley. If you lay one finger on Buffy, I will rip *every* *single* part of your…” Xander trailed off and gave Angel the once over from head to toe. He gulped. “Well-tone muscled body to pieces.”

 

The vampire wasn’t impressed. “Really?”

 

Xander seemed to shrink under Angel’s deadly stare. “Or die trying,” he said, his voice quivering slightly.

 

Squinting, Angel studied him. “Who are you?”

 

“Your worst nightmare.” Xander stood up straighter and puffed up his chest.

 

Angel sighed. “Isn’t anyone on this ship here to help?” he muttered.

 

“Well, if you didn’t go beating up innocent people….”

 

“I didn’t beat up an innocent person!” Angel yelled. “He attacked *me* FIRST!”

 

Xander snorted. “Please. Your secret is out. I know what you are. And it isn’t some rich, but boring banker.”

 

“And what are you?” Angel challenged, “serving rich people on a ship that you know you could never really afford?”

 

Xander narrowed his eyes. “At least I don’t seduce little girls, and beat up their love-interests.”

 

“I TOLD YOU! I DIDN’T GO AFTER RILEY!”

 

“Whatever,” Xander snapped. “I didn’t like him much, anyway.”

 

“What?” Angel shook his head in confusion. “I thought that you were a friend of his.”

 

Now it was Xander’s turn to look surprised. “Wow, you drink blood, AND you’re stupid!”

 

Angel glared at him when it suddenly dawned on him. “You’re in love with Buffy,” he whispered. “You’re jealous of me.”

 

“No!” Xander shrieked quickly.

 

Angel nodded, and couldn’t help but smirk. “Sure.”

 

“Fine,” Xander cried. “And she should be with me! I mean, look at you all evil and broody and attractive.” Angel raised his eyebrows, but Xander barreled on before he could comment. “And Riley’s dull.” As an afterthought he added, “And a wuss.”

 

Angel shook his head. “I don’t have time for this,” brushing past Xander, he was going to find someone to help him when he felt a hand on his arm. He turned back to stare into Xander’s eyes, which shone with hatred.

 

“Look, I don’t like you,” Xander declared. “I think that Buffy is blinded by the danger and darkness to see what she’s really getting into.” Xander softened. “But take care of her. Buffy’s special.”

 

Before Angel could blink, Xander was gone, and he was left alone to brood. ‘And to find someone to help fix my door,’ Angel reminded himself. ‘And let’s not forget supper.’ With a sigh of frustration, Angel continued exploring the ship, hoping that he would be in luck and stumble across a helpful person. And, also, if he was really lucky, a rat.

 

Buffy, not having time to change into dinner clothes before walking down the Grand Staircase and into the dining room, had to struggle not to wince. She knew that she looked terrible. Knocking down a door and getting ready to fight her enemy didn’t do wonders for her dress. Plus, the part afterwards where she had shared some earth-shattering kisses with her enemy didn’t do wonders for her looks, either.

 

Her mother was going to kill her.

 

Buffy figured that at least she was only five minutes late. That might save her from a terrible doom. At least this way her mother would only torture her for a couple hundred years.

 

Buffy made the way to her mother’s table as quickly as she dared. ‘No use putting this off,’ she thought with an inward groan. Before Buffy even sat down, Joyce’s disapproving glare was trained on her daughter.

 

“Buffy!” Mrs. Summers hissed, “where’s your hat?”

 

Giles looked up at his slayer sharply. His mouth immediately turned into a puckered frown. Buffy glared, noticing that this was done in an effort not to laugh. “A lady should never go out without her hat,” Giles chastised, still looking as if he was having trouble concealing his laughter.

 

Buffy scowled deeply at him. “I lost my hat.”

 

Joyce pursed her lips. “I can’t even believe that you showed up looking like this, Buffy!” she murmured under her breath so only Buffy could hear. “Do you have any idea what people will say?”

 

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Buffy sat down and struggled to keep her rising anger in check. “Mother I don’t care what people say. It’s just a one time thing… please, let it go.”

 

Her mother sighed looking pained. “It isn’t a one time thing! This behavior has been going on the entire trip! I won’t take it anymore, Buffy. You’ve been sneaking around behind my back since we boarded this ship! And yesterday you yelled at poor Riley in front of all those people! What in heaven’s name is going on?”

 

Buffy opened her mouth, preparing to lie if the need arose. She would have liked to explain about Angel to her mother, but she didn’t want to have to bring in the whole vampire thing. Fortunately, she was spared a string of excuses Joyce wouldn’t have believed, when something caught her mother’s eye.

 

Standing up, she pointed to a table in the back of the room and her eyes flashed dangerously. Buffy was surprised that she didn’t see smoke some pouring out of her ears. “WHAT IS THAT???”

 

Buffy looked in the direction of her mother’s finger and couldn’t help but smirk when she saw what had grabbed Joyce’s attention. Cordelia and Riley were sitting at a table for two, hands joined, and staring into each other’s eyes. “I believe,” Buffy said carefully, “that would be Riley.”

 

Giles followed the gaze of the two Summers’ woman and couldn’t help but let out a snort when he saw what they were looking at. Buffy caught his eye, and gave him a warning glance. Covering his mouth, Giles blushed in embarrassment. Luckily, Joyce was too caught up in watching Riley that she didn’t notice.

 

“Isn’t that Cordelia?” Joyce gasped, hand held in mock surprise over her heart.

 

“That would be the one and only Queen C.”

 

“Didn’t the two of you play together when you were little?” Mrs. Summers reflected.

 

“Does pulling each other’s hair count?” Buffy questioned, “because maybe in some far-away universe that could be considered playing.”

 

Scowling, Buffy’s mother looked as if she might go up to the table herself and ask just what they were doing. Seeming to remember herself, she turned back to her daughter and took her hand comfortingly. “Oh, Buffy,” she murmured. “I’m so sorry… I had no idea.”

 

“Mom, it’s not what you think…” Buffy protested.

 

Smiling lightly, Joyce patted Buffy’s hand. “It’s okay, Sweetie. I understand that boys can be terrible. I’m sorry that Riley didn’t turn out to be what you expected. Please, though, next time just tell me… I’ll understand. There’s no need to go sneaking off and getting into trouble.”

 

Buffy sighed and slouched down in her seat. What was the use? “Okay, Mom. Thanks for being so understanding.”

 

Joyce gave Buffy’s hand once more gentle squeeze before letting it go. “There’s nothing that you can’t tell me.”

 

Tiredly, Buffy made eye contact with Giles. “Of course.”

 

Slightly disgusted with himself, Angel let his nose guide him to his prey. He was down in the steerage rooms, where a surprised steward had told him was the only place where rats may be. The steward has also looked faintly put out when he has seen Angel’s damaged door. Well-trained, and well paid, the steward had wisely kept his mouth shut and decided that it was none of his business and chalked it up to being one of those things better left alone.

 

When Angel found that his nose was of absolutely no use, and the steerage section of the ship was well cleaned, he almost gave up his search. Unfortunately, his stomach was growling at him, and Angel knew that in order to keep full control over his demon’s less than conventional urges, he needed to feed.

 

Roughly grabbing the sleeve of a nearby passenger, Angel demanded to know if he had seen any rats, and, if so, where they were to be found. The man decided that steerage passengers on a ship as grand as the ‘Titanic’ were important, and the captain must be checking to make sure that there were no rats.

 

The man honestly told Angel that he hadn’t seen any vermin.

 

Angel scowled and let the 3^rd class passenger go. The man scurried off, and Angel was left to fend for himself. Dejectedly, he wandered around aimlessly until he ran into another steward, who sent him quickly out of 3^rd class when he realized that Angel was carrying a 1^st class ticket.

 

Nerves on edge, Angel wandered back to his room and was glad to note that his door had been fixed. ‘At least something is going my way today.’ Sighing, he set out again and decided that his last option for food was slightly more risky but would hopefully bring better results.

 

Hating himself, Angel set out to look for food that the restaurants were discarding.

 

Yawning, Buffy allowed Giles to escort her back to her room. She felt like she hadn’t slept right in days. Which, she figured, was entirely possible.

 

“How are things going with Angel?” Giles whispered in her ear, daring to look back to make sure that Mrs. Summers hadn’t heard.

 

Buffy shot her mother a weary glance. “Never been better,” she answered shortly.

Giles gave her a questioning look. “We fought, got back together, fought, got back together, fought, got back together…”

 

“I get the point,” Giles cut in. “He hasn’t… hurt you?”

 

Buffy shook her head. “Not physically.”

 

Giles sighed. “Be careful.”

 

Buffy squeezed his hand. “I am.”

 

Giles opened her stateroom door. “Good-night, Buffy.”

 

Buffy smiled. “Night, Giles.”

 

Annoyed, disgusted, dirty, but *full* Angel returned to his stateroom. As a creature of the night, he had no interest in sleeping. Although, he figured that it might be a good idea to start adopting human habits if Buffy was going to become a more central part of his life.

 

Buffy.

 

A small smile crept over his lips.

 

Riley leaned forward and brushed his lips over Cordelia’s. “You’re an amazing woman,” he breathed.

 

Cordelia blushed and hit him playfully on the arm. “Stop it! You’re amazing!”

 

Riley wrinkled his nose. “No you stop!”

 

“You!”

 

“You!”

 

“You!”

 

“Night, Xander,” Willow called.

 

Xander smiled happily at his childhood friend. “Night, Will.” The friends were about to part ways when Willow stopped and gave him a funny look. “What?”

 

Willow shook her head. “I just got the strangest feeling.”

 

Xander raised his eyebrows. “I don’t know if I want to know…”

 

“It’s probably nothing,” Willow admitted pursing her lips. “I just feel like this is our last safe night.”

 

“In that case I better enjoy it!” Xander said happily. Xander patted her hand reassuringly. “Relax. We’ve now seen vampires. Nothing can hurt us.”

 

Willow forced out a laugh. “You’re right.” Xander nodded and turned away. Staring after him a beat, Willow turned and decided it was time for bed.

 

It was the final time that she ever got a good night’s sleep.

 

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