A long line of people was the first thing Willow noticed when she and Oz pulled up at the Stage entrance door for the Bronze. Willow had noted on numerous occasions that The Bronze was so popular primarily because there wasn't anywhere else to go in Sunnydale. The nightclub itself was not flash my any means. A fairly sparse interior that mainly did the job in providing some nighttime entertainment. It did however seem to have no problems letting under-age club goers in so Willow and her friends had pretty much adopted in as their hangout.
"At least being in the Band gets you some privileges," Oz remarked looking at the cue at the front door.
"So does being a girlfriend," replied Willow with a smile.
"If only we were successful enough for us to have our own roadies."
" Well you will be, then I will be able to say, I used to do that," Willow said as she opened the door. She went around to the back of the van. Oz came around the other side and opened the doors. There were two guitars and a couple of amps in the back.
"It's times like this I am glad you don't play the drums," Willow said as she picked up one of the guitars.
'So are my neighbors"
Giles was putting on a tie when his doorbell rang.
"Be there in a minute," he said loud enough to travel the distance to the patio.
Outside Buffy waited. Giles had suggested picking her up at her place, but she decided that having her mother, who had returned that day, see her getting into a teachers car at night may not be the wisest move in avoiding unnecessary questions. The door opened.
"Hi Giles, nice gear" Buffy greeted him, giving his outfit the once over.
Giles looked down and quickly glanced at his usual trousers, tie and jacket. "Ah teenage fashion sarcasm" he thought. "Hmmm" was his only audible reply.
"So are you ready?" She asked.
"Yes, let's get a move on then."
Willow and Oz had finished setting up the band equipment and had taken custody of a table with enough seats around it for their friends that would be turning up soon.
"You know I'm all for turning up in the sunlight, but it's really a non-hip, not to mention an incredibly boring time to be here" Oz said.
" Better bored that gored," Willow replied, then seeing Buffy and Giles walking through the entranceway, "Buffy, Giles over here," she said with a wave.
Buffy acknowledged her call and nudged Giles in the right direction. They both took seats at the table.
"You know Buffy, it's a wonder that people don't think it's weird all of you hanging around with a librarian after school" Giles asked.
" Well I think it's a combination of, Willow, Xander and me are thought of as strange anyway, Oz is in the band and Cordelia goes out with Xander, which incidentally has people looking at her in a whole new light. And the fact they probably think I am trying to suck up to a teacher. Mind you I think it has worked in reverse for you. Principal Snyder seems to think we are putting to much bad teenage influence on you."
"Yes quite, I am going to have a scout around and check to see if there are any other places vampires could hide, just in case they decide to get in another way," Giles said moving off.
"Ah speaking of checking on things, I should see if the other band members have arrived yet. Last time one didn't turn up. Wasn't till I saw him a coupe of days later with a extra large forehead I realized what had happened," Oz said. He kissed Willow on the cheek.
Willow turned to Buffy and smiled.
"Anyway, did you see Xander and Cordelia outside?" she asked Buffy.
"Nah, Xander is probably waiting for Cordelia to try on her tenth outfit or something. Well either that or he has finally run out silly one liners to add to every conversation," Buffy looked at Willow, they both agreed, "Nah."
"Yeah go figure. I can't believe that they are still together. I mean I have heard that opposites attract but Oil and Water" Willow said.
"True, but Cordelia has surprised me lately. She has been quite keen to get involved in our training. It also can't have been an easy decision to stand up to her friends and stay with Xander. They have basically ignored her since"
"Strange I used to think that it would be harder for Xander seeing that we all really didn't like her. But you're right, she's not the girl she use to be." Willow took another sip of cola.
"And now you are with Oz," Buffy said, "and I might add it seems to be agreeing with you rather well."
"Yes it does. It shows doesn't it? I can't help it. My life is so full when he's around," replied Willow, "if Xander's as happy as I am - lucky him."
"Yeah well I think he is. He was really glowing this morning," Buffy added looking at Willow inquisitively.
"I didn't really notice," then seeing Buffy's look, "you mean, nah... you think?"
Outside the Bronze, Cordelia parked the car and Xander and Cordelia got out. "Do you think our friends noticed?" Xander asked.
"I don't think so. Who cares if they do? I know this about our friends, they may interested but they won't pry" Cordelia responded.
"C'mon lets get inside. Maybe we should argue a bit to throw them off track, just in case," Xander offered.
Cordelia grabbed his hand, "As if that would ever be a problem, I mean, look at your hair, heard of a brush?"
The sun seemed to set very quickly in Sunnydale. Tonight was no exception. It had the aura of completely transforming the place. What in daylight could look inviting, in darkness oozed terror. Shadows that could conceal, shadows that only brought them. Terror in the form of Vampires.
A group of fifteen vampires, including Angel, Drusilla and Spike appeared from one such shadow, in an alleyway, just to the right of the front entrance to the Bronze.
"Are you sure she's in here Angel?" Spike asked, looking at the front entrance.
"I can feel her. She's in there all right. I just hope our appetizer is in there as well," he replied as the group headed towards the entrance.
Oz's band had started their second set of the night. The Band, "The dingo ate my baby" had built a steady following in the last few months. Oz often commented that this was helped in no small part by the band actually practicing. Willow didn't care; she would be up dancing even if it was horrible. She looked over at her friends motioning for them to join her on the dance floor. Giles recoiled in horror, but Buffy and Cordelia got up to join her. Xander volunteered to stay with Giles and keep observing.
"No worries Xander, at least you can do that better than you dance," Cordelia quipped as she made her way to the dance floor.
Xander of course liked to dance, almost as much as he liked to see Cordelia dance. But he wasn't totally lying about his reasons for staying with Giles. His limited training so far, his own instincts and his short period as a solider last Halloween made him realize that it was best not to weaken a flank. It was much better to have him and Giles together than Giles by himself.
Giles turned to him, "So Xander have you been practicing your moves?"
"No...what's Cordelia been saying?" he replied looking embarrassed.
"No not that, heaven forbid the details," Giles jumped in before Xander could say anything more. "Your fighting skills?"
"Yes. Not that I really want to test them yet unless I have to, but I have been putting in the hours."
"Good. I must say you have come along rather well. All of you have, " Giles replied.
"We have excellent teachers," Xander said with just the slightest hint of patronization.
'Yes fine.... I wouldn't want you to go one on one with a vampire yet, but hopefully it will be enough to get you out of trouble not into it. Just enough to get away to safety."
"Believe me Giles, that will be the only thing on my mind."
Behind them the vampires had started to enter. With the light show that was going on while the band was playing it was impossible to see much off the dance floor. Angel ordered the vampires to conceal themselves until it was time. Spike, Drusilla and Angel spread out along the back wall, near the bar.
"Remember I want Xander, anyone else is gravy for the masses" he told them. He hadn't bothered to tell the rest of the Vampires. To be honest he didn't care what happened to them. He considered them too stupid to pose a serious threat to Buffy's gang.
"Wow he's really good," Cordelia said commenting on Oz's playing as they exited the dance floor and took their seats.
Buffy and Willow just stared at each other.
"I can be nice sometimes," Cordelia said in her own defense," I'm in a really good mood." She leant over and put her arm around Xander.
Buffy and Willow looked at each other as if to say, "Oh My God!!!"
Buffy decided to change the subject, "So Giles anything hairy going on."
"No it has been surprisingly quiet."
"Funny. I feel as though we are being watched," she said as she looked around.
"Well if you think we should go," Giles suggested.
"We can't go. Oz has a few more songs to play," Willow interjected.
"It's O.K. Willow. We won't go yet. The feeling is pretty small on the wig factor."
Willow happy with that, turned back around to face the band.
"I am going for a drink," Cordelia said looking around the table, "anyone else?" Buffy, Willow and Giles all shook their heads.
"I'll come with you," said Xander getting up next to Cordelia.
"Oh glorious savior" replied Cordelia.
"Better prey I don't have to protect you from Dragons. That will be a tough call distinguishing the difference," Xander said as they moved off.
Buffy looked at Willow, " ... and maybe they didn't."
Buffy followed them with her eyes as they walked towards the bar. She saw Cordelia go up and order, with Xander doing his best bodyguard impression. She got the feeling again. She quickly glanced to the left, then to the right. She couldn't see anyone.
"Giles, something's wrong, I can sense it."
Giles turned around and looked. He could not see anything either.
Cordelia got her drink and turned to face Xander.
Buffy saw him, "Cordelia, Xander watch out," she shouted
Cordelia thought she heard something, before she could check a dark shape blocked her way. She looked the figure, she new that Face, Angel. She screamed, but was quickly silenced by a punch to the jaw. Cordelia fell down, knocking her head against the bar as she did.
Buffy had seen Angel appear and punch Cordelia and she was now no more than a couple of feet from him when he reached for Xander. She went to shout and warn him, when suddenly her legs were taken out from under her.
By this time the club was filled with screams. The band had stopped playing. Oz saw a vampire sneaking up on Willow. Grabbing a drumstick he ran and plunged the stick through its heart, shattering it to dust. He grabbed Willow and headed for the stage, to open the back door and let some people out.
Giles saw Buffy take off, and then in quick succession Cordelia get hit and Buffy get taken down by Spike. He was about to rush to help Buffy but saw that she was back on her feet. He grabbed his stakes out of his bag he was carrying and went looking for vampires to kill.
Xander had seen out of the corner of his eye Cordelia go down, in one motion he turned and punched Angel. Angel reeled from the blow.
"Not bad," he commented.
"Good enough to make you wish you had never laid a hand on her," Xander replied.
He shouldn't have replied, it gave Angel the opportunity to kick him in the stomach, knocking him to the floor.
Buffy unleashed a flurry of kicks against Spike. Spike took most of them but by the sixth and seventh he had decided that he should get out of there. He exited quickly. Buffy was going to follow but saw Drusilla moving towards Cordelia's prone body.
A couple of twists and flips and she stood in front of Drusilla. Quickly punching her away, she bent down over Cordelia checking her neck to see if she was O.K.. There was no bite marks and she still had a pulse. Good, now onto Angel.
She turned to see Xander hit Angel again, only this time Angel hardly felt it. She knew Xander was tiring and soon he wouldn't be able to defend himself. She got up and kicked Angel away from Xander.
"Xander look after Cordelia," she screamed as she laid another flurry of kicks at Angel.
Giles moved to another vampire and staked it. He looked around for another vampire and couldn't see any on the top level. He raced to the stairs and down them. It looked like all the vampires were gone, apart from Angel.
Buffy and Angel continued hitting each other. Blow for blow, kick for kick, neither one was gaining the advantage. It didn't help that she kept checking on Xander and Cordelia to see it they were O.K.. Xander's face was a bloody mess. He had at least three deep lacerations.
"Giles, get over here and get them out of here" she shouted as she saw Giles coming over to her.
"You aren't going to kill my friends tonight" she spat at Angel, ducking a punch and landing one of her own.
Giles made it over to Xander and Cordelia. Cordelia was barley conscious; Xander was covering her, alert, if exhausted. He bent down to drag them away, when suddenly he was kicked from behind. As he turned around he saw Spike standing above him.
Xander witnessed Spike take Giles down. He saw Spike move towards Giles to try and end it. With every ounce of strength he made it to his feet and half jumped/half fell on Spike. Spike was knocked away from the impact. Spike got up and turned around about to attack when suddenly he noticed something behind Xander and Giles. He smiled and waved goodbye, exiting out the front door.
Angel glanced off another blow. He decided to cut his losses and fight another day.
"It has been fun hasn't it" he mocked Buffy as he moved off.
Buffy made no attempt to follow, as she was more concerned with her friends. She went over to them. Giles and Xander were both alive. She looked around. She saw Willow and Oz coming over.
"We got nearly everyone out," Willow said.
Buffy continued glancing around. Where was Cordelia? A sudden panic hit her. She ran out the front entrance. She reached outside. There was no sign of them. She was pretty sure they had taken her. She had to get her back. Cordelia had not only become a good friend; she was also the girlfriend of one of her best friends.
"Oh god...how am I going to tell Xander," she whispered to herself.
