31st of August 2016

I haven't seen him since that night.  9 months.  NINE GODDAMN MONTHS!!  I mean 9 months since we last.. nearly kissed.  I left.  Then he left.  He called of course, he would never make me worry unnecessarily.  I remember everything that we last said. 

"Be careful." 
"I will." 

That's it.  He left the next morning.  I came to his apartment to find removal men and a note.  A note. 

It said that he had been recalled by the Council for important business that only he could attend to.  They re-hired Giles and we've been training for the past 3/4 of a year.  Giles is cool.. but he isn't Pierce.  Plus, my mom has to know everything.  And because Giles is her Watcher, she does.  It's like America's Most Wanted the way she tails me.  She sorta accepts my quote-unquote "destiny" but it's like Mother/ Daughter Slayer outings.  Then most the time dad comes since he's a boy slayer and uh- it's so restricting. 

"No Leigh!  Vampire bad!  You take the pointy stick and.." 

Well it's not exactly like that but pretty much.  "You stake him, you get a cookie....  You wanna a cookie?  Yes you do.. yes you do!" 

Anyway.  Side-tracked much.  He called me.  Four days ago on my birthday.  He said that he's done all he needs to.  And he's coming back.  Tonight. 

So here I am.  "Borrowing" Dad's car, of which I cannot drive stick, and heading to the airport.  He doesn't know.  Pierce I mean.  Of course my father doesn't know I've got his car.  And if he did he would just look at me.  He always does that.  He never shouts.  We've hardly ever argued.  He just has this way of making me feel so bad inside.  I don't think he means it.  He just does it.  It's the look he's got in his eyes.  Like a Soulful kind of look. 

My mom, she's the one that does the arguing and shouting with me.  But never with each other.  Apparently, they don't now because they did enough of that when mom was young.  I don't mean arguing, I mean fighting.  Physically fighting.  A few weeks ago I found some of her journal.  Just scrap pages.  Three double sided.  They must have fallen out.  I need to find her journal.  All of it.  I need to know what happened. 

My mom told my dad lot's of weird things in these three pages. It was when she was 16 and after the summer in LA she came back to Sunnydale.  She told him to "Come on.  Kick my ass."  She wanted to throw down with him that night. It's so weird.  They have this whole other world that I'm not and never will be part of.  I told Willow this and she said that's the way it's always been.  Their own world. 

But Pierce.  I'm meeting Pierce.  I wonder if he'll be more tanned.  Well maybe not since he's been in England but they have tanning salons right?  Taller maybe?  Well, being in his twenties he's not likely to grow.  I park in the airport and get out my dads car.  Not long now. 

Am I at the wrong gate?  The flight got in and he isn't there. I put my head between my knees.  He isn't coming.  He's not coming.  Because of me he's.. 

"Hi."  I freeze.  I dislodge my head from my knees and turn around but I know who it is. 

"Pierce... I thought..." I stammer, blushing furiously. 

"Lost one of my bags under the seats.  Took a couple minutes.  I didn't mean to worry you." 

"Pfft.  Who was worried?  It's not like I was waiting here for.." 

Liar, liar.  I mean, yeah, I know a million other guys on that England flight.  And I've learned way too much from my Aunt Cordy.  Who I love.  It's funny hearing her interpretation of the text between my mom and dad in the old days.  She tells all.  Doesn't skimp on details.  Inner moppets and all.

"What are you doing here then?" He asks throwing his bag over his shoulder.  His shirt's opened at the top button and his hair's sorta cute unruly. 

"Waiting.  For you.  Watcher thing." 

"Ah.  Does your mom.." 

"You've got your hands on those Watcher Diaries of Giles huh?" 

"Yeah." 

"So did I get good grades?  Do I get a cookie?" 

He looks at me smirking.  I swear there's something different about him. 

"Chocolate chip?" He offers. 

"Any," I grin back. 

"So you look nice.  Highlights?" 

"Yup." 

"How's Slaying?" 

"Mom watched." 

"Does anyone know.. who you are?" 

"No.  I came this close to telling Joshua about it when I Slew a vamp outside the Bronze a few weeks ago.  I told him it was a trick of light and the guys face was screwed because of rabies." 

"So very inconspicuous." 

"I learn from the best, well I mean my mom.  So do tell.  What business was so urgent that you left me alone with the parent and Watcher vigil for 9 months?" 

"Uh.. family business." 

"You have family, of course.  Are they Watching the Great Watch too?" 

"Yeah." 

"Well something else we got in common. Cept me with the slayage.  So.. was England sunny? Meet any... female people?" 

"Buffy?" Angel called from the edge of the bed. 

"Yes darling," Buffy laughed coming out of the bedroom and kissing her husband passionately.  She never once took a moment for granted.  She never held back because she feared it would all be a dream and he would be gone.  She climbed onto his knees and kissed him again. 

"Where is our beautiful daughter?" She asked kissing his neck and his shirt.  She kissed Angel's neck, working down to his chest.  She pushed him back onto the bed, flat out and worked even further down to his tummy button. 

"She took my car," Angel half giggled as Buffy's fingers wandered all over him. 

"She WHAT?" Buffy said pulling Angel up to the sitting position.  "Well aren't you angry?" 

"Worried.  Where she went." 

"Wait.  Giles said that Pierce was coming back soon." 

"I don't trust Pierce," Angel growled low. 

"You are not supposed to trust any man with your baby," Buffy reminded him kissing his bottom lip.  She drew a circle on his chest and kissed his ear.  She looked straight at Angel, hoping that what she was going to say wouldn't sound too Mom-protective.  "Angel, I think Leigh's got more of a Slayer-Watcher thing for Pierce." 

"She has," Angel said sitting down on the edge of the bed.  "She was so close to telling me.  She asked all these questions once about when you were 16 and how we got together." 

"I hope you told her never to have sex." 

"I think the theme of 'sex is bad' didn't quite get through to our hormonal time bomb of a daughter." 

"Oh." 

"She was asking about age and did I 'just know' with you." 

"Just know what?" 

"That I loved you." 

"What'd you say?" 

"I told her about seeing you at fifteen walking down the steps." 

"Really?" 

"Then how you jumped me in that alley in Sunnydale and stomped on my chest." 

"I didn't stomp.  I um, placed my foot lightly." 

"Please, you stomped." 

"I guess I never made that up to you," Buffy said sliding further onto Angel's knee facing him. 

"I guess not." 

"And I guess Leigh will be a while." 

"I guess she will," Angel grinned knowing exactly where this was headed.  Buffy dropped off his shirt completely and he pull her top over her head.  Through experience, they knew to kick the door shut. 

So tension, tension, tension all the way in my dad's car home.  Pierce explained his stuff was put in storage and all moved in again. 

"Oh."  Was all I could say.  Pathetic.  Absolutely pathetic. 

So after the journey to his apartment, I offered him a hand carrying his bags up the stairs.  He declined.  Maybe stepping on his manliness.  Then he lent over to me in the car. 

"Thank you.  For the ride." 

"Anytime."  Really, Pierce.  Anytime. 

Then he softly kissed my cheek and smiled.  I just sat there, inanimate.  He kissed me. 

OK so it was a cheek kind of thank you kiss, but kiss all the same. 

I watched him get out of the car and wave as he went into his building.  After a while, I drove away. Not ready to go home yet, I decided to go to Joshua's. 

"Hey dammit Josh answer!" I hiss throwing stones at his window lightly.  Slayer strength has told me that I don't need to put much effort in.  Unless I watch to hurt the boy and cave in the side of the house.

"Hey there beautiful stranger," he grins leaning out his window. 

"Hey.  Want sugar?  Come get sugar Josh-y," I tease.  "Mochas." 

"Gimme two.  Minutes, I mean." 

So he appears a while later looking kind smart.  "So why the need for mochas and annoying me?" 

"Well.  There is that fact that you are a great humanitarian and I wanted to treat you to a sugary treat." 

"Real deal?" 

"We have an English talk thing tomorrow.  I'm not prepared." 

"Leigh.  That's isn't like you.  Well the past while, it is.  But before that... are you into drugs?" 

"Direct and to the point huh?" 

"Are you?" 

"Oh yeah.  PCP, heroin the whole deal." 

He stares at me. 

"No, no drugs for Leigh," I say shaking my head.  "Could you see my mom react to that?"  I start my dad's car. 

"Good.  I worry about you, y'know," he says touching my shoulder. 

"Course you do.  We've known each other forever plus some." 

"As long as you know that." 

"I do, I do." 

He stares a funny way, like he's visualizing something. 

"What?" 

"Uh.. Nothing." 

"No I'm serious, what were you thinking about?" 

"Nothing Leigh." 

"You always get that look whenever I mention my mom," I shrug. He stays silent.  I rub my temples and shut my eyes.  "Please God tell me you weren't imagining having sex with my mother, Josh." 

"She's pretty hot for a mom of a sixteen ye--" He defends. 

"Josh, God Josh.  There's not hope for you.  And can you imagine my dad if he found out..." 

So after talking a bit in the Expresso Pump, Josh suggested a walk.  He headed towards the graveyard. 

"You don't wanna go in there," I warn him. 

"Why?  Monsters?" 

"No.  Icky, dead place." 

"They're kinda cool.  All these crypts and old tombstones." 

Before I can stop him, he's ventured in.  I give in and hope for the best. 

"Josh, I can tell you any thing right?" 

"Sure you can." 

"Even if it involves a guy?" 

He pauses.  "Of course." 

"Good.  I suppose I should tell you to get us back on level footing after you imagining my mother in a whole sex scenario.  Because, well, I think that I'm kinda... well..." 

"Babbling..." 

"Falling.  For someone.  A guy.  Pierce Owen." 

"Say who?" He asks edgily. 

"You don't know him.  He's 25 and English." 

"Well that's not his fault." 

"Josh!" I say shocked. 

"So how come I haven't met this guy you're so in love with?" 

"Because he was here 9 months back for a few weeks and we clicked.  He just came back today.  But I'm not sure if he heard the click.  I was pretty sure I heard it." 

"Ah.  So what is he?" 

"Huh?" 

"How'd you meet ectera." 

"He's my w... a friend of my uncle Giles." 

"Oh.  English.  I forgot." 

"This whole big thing." 

"It's a crumpet invasion." 

"Sure is--" I start then I hear a noise behind me.  Like a twig snapping.  Or a coffin door. Vampire rising.  "Hey. Josh I forgot my purse will you--" 

"You don't have a purse." 

"Right." 

"What's going on?" 

I slide my stake out of my jacket and stalk forward.  Then it jumps out at me. I duck down and it flips over me.  I go to stake it but it rolls over and springs up.  I roundhouse kick it's jaw and then air kick twice to the chest.  I throw two punches to the ribs and crack my fist down on it's back.  Lying face down, I stake it in the back and it disintegrates into dust.  Pleased that I never even broke a sweat, I look up and see a shocked Joshua. 

"Ohhh." 

"What the Hell was that?" 

I can't lie.  Maybe it won't be so bad.  I mean everyone knew my mom was the Slayer.  Or so my uncle Wesley reminded us on occasions. 

"Vampire." 

"Wow.  Whoa. Whoa!  Dracula kind of vampire?  Fictional?" 

"Yeah only Dracula is real.  My mom kicked his undead booty." 

"Huh?  Leigh I've never seen anyone fight like that.. what's going on?" 

"I'm.. a Vampire Slayer." 

"Huh?" 

"Sit down and I'll explain.  Vampires are real.  In every generation, a Slayer is born to kill vampires.  Born with supernatural powers she's guided by a watcher from the Watchers Council in England.  My Watcher is Pierce.  My mom is also the Slayer despite the fact you're only supposed to have one.  She died a little and then was revived, so two Slayers.  When one dies - for a moment even - another is called.  I was called 9 months ago.  I go out at night and slay vampires.  The occasional demon and I'm in this whole prophecy with a destiny." 

"Y-You have a destiny?" he half chokes. 

"Yeah.  Whole big thing between a Slayer and a vampires child." 

"Huh?" 

"My mom fell in love with my dad when she was 16." 

"How old was he?" 

"2 hundred and forty I think." 

"Years?" 

"Yup.  He was a vampire with a soul.  Unique.  When you're turned - ie. bitten by a vamp and you drink their blood, you die.  A demon comes and inhibits your body.  You don't have a conscience.  No remorse." 

"And your dad got his back?" 

"Yeah.  The only vampire ever to have a soul, about 150 after vamp birth.  He's been trying to atone since he met my mom.  She changed him.  Only she didn't know it." 

"So he's killed?" 

"As a demon.  He was a vampire up until I was five.  I was conceived on a day that never happened.  Freaky huh?  When my mom left for college, he left town, broke up with her.  She went to LA where he had a business with my Aunt Cor.  He turned mortal for a day, him and my mom got together and I was conceived.  My dad realized he couldn't do this because she would die so turned back the clock.  Everything was erased and only he remembers.  Cept me.  I wasn't erased.  My mom assumed that Riley was my father and we lived together for like 5 years.  Then my dad came back newly human and the rest is history.  Oh and he's got supernatural strength to help protect my destiny." 

"Woah.  Now I know why I was so afraid of your dad." 

"Yeah," I laugh.  God that felt so good just to tell someone every thing I knew and had been holding onto. 

"Wow we crammed a lot of scary supernatural stuff in 5 minutes huh?" 

"We sure did," I nod.  "Are you freaked?" 

"Very," he grins.  "I'll get over it.  So Slayer huh?  How strong?" 

"Very.  Like stronger than a vampire.  Stronger than Spiderman." 

"Cool.  So could I be your Jimmy Olsen?" 

"Na.  You be my Robin," I say hugging him.  Obviously not in a literal way.  I don't want him getting hurt. 

"Sure thing.  So this whole thing where your dad's a demon and your mom's a Slayer.  She's strong huh? Has extra muscles and.. stuff..?" 

"Eugh," I complain. 

I creep in the front door and past the sitting room.  I miss all the creaky steps and get to my bedroom thinking I'm home free.  I swing the door open. 

"Uh oh." 

"Yeah uh oh," my mom starts, sitting on my bed.  My dad's sitting behind her, holding her hand.  "Where have you been?" 

"Patrol?" I try. 

"Then why didn't you tell us so we could back you up?" She demands.  "And you left during the day." 

"Maybe I don't need backup." 

"Yes you do," my dad says looking at me with these "You know it" eyes. My mom stands up. 

"Maybe you should let me grow up and make my own mistakes!" 

"Maybe you should quit acting so childish and grow up!  No wait, what? That wasn't the right argument.  I mean, you're too young.  And a '"mistake' will get you killed." 

"Isn't that what happens to all Slayers eventually?  We fight, we die." 

"Not you." 

"Why? When it comes down to it and you guys aren't there to back me up I will die because I'd be co-dependent.  Some vampire would come and rip my head off," I snap. 

Then she slaps me.  Not Slayer strength hard, just hard.  She instantly pulls back and apologizes. 

"Leigh... baby..." She says in shock.  "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to.. I'm sorry." 

My dad gets up and my mom leans on him for a second shutting her eyes. "This wasn't supposed to happen.  We didn't even want to talk to you about the sneaking out to patrol alone.  It was Pierce," she says. 

"I don't like him," my dad says instantly. 

"What about Pierce?  He's my watcher." 

"He's more than that to you," my dad says steadily.  He gestures for me to sit down.  "You don't know anything about Pierce.  I've heard rumours about the Owen set of Watchers over there... anyway.  I know, we know, better than anybody about falling in love with someone you're not supposed to.  Granted the gap between you and Pierce is a lot less than the one between your mother and I...  what I'm trying to say is.. you can't get involved.  Please honey, listen to me for your own sake." 

"Or one day you'll wake up in this weird world thinking 'Gee I wish I listened to my dad'," my mom contributes. 

"What made you guys think I would like Pierce?" 

"We know these things," my dad says.  He raises his eyebrows at my mom and she says 'oh' and nods.  "I'm gonna leave you two alone for a moment." 

He kisses my moms forehead and leaves, shutting the door. 

"Mom, I'm sorry I snuck out and lied and did all these things," I say genuinely sorry.  For once.  "But I don't lov--" 

"You do Leigh," she says walking around again. "I can tell.  I talked to Giles about putting in for another Watcher but that would be drastic.  I need to tell you something. About why not." 

"OK." 

"On my seventeenth birthday, oh god.  I need to tell you this.  On the night of my seventeenth, I lost my virginity to Angel.. your dad.  When he was a vampire.  It was a thing where we just needed to be together more and give into ourselves.  We were scared to go any further because we never knew where it would lead us.  And the place it led us wasn't the best of places to be.  He lost his Soul and about four months later I sent him to Hell.  That won't happen with you but on the Hellmouth... you never know.  So you need to be careful OK?" 

I can't believe instead of the regular birds and bees talk I just got the vampiric-sex-and-how-my-mom-lost-her-virginity talk.  I will die sometime soon. 

"OK honey?"  I nod slightly.  "You're freaked aren't you?"  I give her that 'Duh' look.  "It's weird to think of your dad as a vampire after all that time but that's who I fell in love with." 

Now I know I'm gonna die. 

"Just checking.. but you are still.. y'know.  A--" 

"Virgin?" I finish for her, smirking.  Let's have some fun with my mother because I see the anxious look.  "Please mom that is so passé." 

My moms eyes go wide and she stands up, unable to speak - FOR ONCE. 

"Y-y-y-you what?" She stutters, her face draining of all the colour. 

"Mom I'm in the 10th grade." 

"Yeah!" She says, her hands flying up. 

"And no one even thinks about that anymore.  It's over and done." 

"W-w-w-what?" She says going to my door and leaving.  She comes back in. 
"You... you.. forget it," she gives up.  When she shuts the door I laugh into my pillow, trying to smother the sound. 

My mom's really different from other moms - well for one thing she slays
vampires at night and falls in love with them while others play Parcheesi and scrabble.  And another thing, she's not all that mature - not mom-mature.  Which is good sometimes when you wanna freak her out like that.  That'll have her head spinning for sometime. 

"Angel, our baby girl is having sex," Buffy announces as she joins her husband in their bedroom. 

"She's what?" 

"Having sex.  She just told me she wasn't a virgin," Buffy breathed pacing up and down the floor.  Angel smirked and laughed into himself.  "This is funny?  You 16 year old is having sex and you're acting like it's a funny, funny thing?" 

"Buffy.  She's playing with you." 

"What?" 

"Playing with you.  She's getting you all worked up like this," Angel pointed out.  Buffy stoped pacing and put her hands on her hips. 

"Really?" 

"Really." 

"I should have drowned her at birth." 

Angel laughed again, and pulled his wife into him.  "Sshh," he calmed her gently as he worked around her jaw and ears, kissing her softly. 

"Angel." 

"Yes," Angel mumbles kissing her neck. 

"I told Leigh how I lost my virginity." 

Angel stopped and looked straight at Buffy.  "Not funny." 

"Not kidding." 

Angel bit his tongue and nodded.  "You told her at that time I was a vampire." 

"I was illustrating a point." 

"How colourful was it?" 

"You mean the actual experience or what I told her?  Angel, I told her we did it for the right reasons in the hope she would do that and not just to make it up to her peers.  The actual experience however... can't ever be put into
words." 

He let out a breath of relief.  "Really?" He asked interested. 

"I can think of a few words that touch on what it was like."  Angel took her hands and took her over to the side of the bed where they sat down. 

"Like?" 

"Intimate, powerful, loving, mind-blowing, gentle, not of this earth.." 

"Really?" Angel asked softly.  "I'm just so sorry about everything after.." 

"Don't be.  It's what made it all the more.. You gave yourself completely into me like no one but you could," Buffy whispered.  "And every time we make love, it's like the first time," she whispered into his ear, her throat going dry. 

"Buffy every day I wake up and thank.. whatever gave us this here.  A home, a daughter, a chance to become what I thought was impossible.  And now I've got it, I don't take it for granted.  And each time I wake up in the morning with you beside me, it's like the first time because I feel so..  Y'know... like things couldn't get any better.  Then you open your eyes and talk to me and I realize that they can," he smiles.  Buffy bit her bottom lip and tried to stop the tears from coming. 

"Really?" 

"Really Buffy." 

She sighed and wiped away a tear on her cheek. "Wow you really know how to do that to me." 

"Do what?" 

"Make me feel.. y'know, like that," she smiled before kissing him hungrily again.  She ran her hands through his hair and moved closer to him on the bed. Angel cupped her face, holding her lips as close to his as he could get.  Buffy unbuttoned his black shirt and slipped it off his smooth shoulders.  Angel slipped her dress off over her head, reluctantly breaking from her mouth to do so, before resuming kissing her. 

Buffy reached up and pulled the silk blankets down off the bed and crawled backwards, still kissing Angel, onto them.  He followed and they both kneeled on the bed as Buffy worked on his pants, pulling at the zipper.  Angel slipped off her bra from the back and held her head as they both went crashing onto the pillow. 

"Angel," Buffy murmured as he and the silk sheets surrounded her. 

I guess they're not taking the bait of my dad's still trying to pacify my hysterical mother in post My-Daughters-Having-Sex shock.  Time for a little slay.  Or a little trip to see Pierces new place.  It would be rude not to go there. 

"Hi," I say showing up at his door.  Like I said. Rude not to. 

"Leigh.  Hi.  Come in." 

"Thanks," I nod gratefully and walk in.  "Wow. Looks really good..  Different." 

"Yeah it is," he nods quietly.  "Did something happen on patrol?" 

"Haven't been.  I thought... we could go together." 

"Of course.  Let me get some weapons and a jacket." 

"Quiet tonight," he remarks as we both sit on headstones waiting for some action. Of the Slaying kind. 

"Very," I nod.  "Either no vamps or discreet vamps." 

"Vampires are rarely discreet." 

"Not what I heard," I contest.  "Very skulky.  Very stalky.  Take a certain Scourge of Europe as an example." 

"I see you've been reading up on your father's history." 

"Well if you're gonna be evil, be the best," I laugh.  "Well researching it helps me understand him better.  Why he's so tortured.  Why he loves my mom and I the way he does. He does partly because he can." 

"Doesn't it scare you that your dad was once a.." 

"Killer?  Soulless bloodsucking fiend that I stake every night?  No.  Everyone has their darkness.  A history." 

He nods in agreement. 

"See there, I could have said 'everyone has their demons' but I didn't.  Not cuz that whole analogy is so over but cuz it's so ick.  I hack up demons for a living, green innards et al.  It's just too gross to think of something having a demon in them - metaphor or not." 

He chuckles at my little speech and I tilt my chin upwards proudly. 

Then I hear some movement in a mausoleum.  I jump down and we both race towards it. 

I peer inside and see a huge red demon gathering bones. 

"Ewww." 

"That's a Jonyul demon.  Can only be killed through the use of complex magicks.  Special potion," he notes. 

"Cool.  I'll get Willow to do it.  No one does complex like she does complex." 

"No need to disturb her.  I can make it," Pierce says putting a cross back in his jacket. 

"I thought you said it was 'complex'." 

"I did," he shrugs. 

"Oh, OK, Witch Boy.  So what now?  It's been hours, nothing, I have a chem test..." 

"You best get home," Pierce decides. 

"Was gonna go anyway," I grin. 

"Good luck tomorrow." 

"Thanks.  You too.  For.. whatever dangers you maybe facing tomorrow. Like waffles.  Or doughnuts." 

A silence hung in the air as I edged closer to him.  He took a step closer and I closed my eyes gently. 

"I-I have to go," he breathed.  "I'll meet you here tomorrow night?  I'll bring the potion.  You must behead it afterwards.. So.. Bring an axe.. Bye," he said clenching his jaw.  Then he shot off faster than I've ever seen a human walk.  Then comes the obligatory sigh from the gothic heroine and my parting in the other way. 

Sigh. 

"Buffy!" 

"Yes?" Buffy asked her incredibly sexy husband in the bed in their room with the bedhead.  Oh course that's just my opinion, she grinned. 

"There wouldn't be strawberries back there?" He hollered through. 

"Maybe.  If Leigh didn't eat the last box I got," Buffy said rummaging through the fridge.  Angel quickly got out of bed and gathered up some candles and incense in the drawer. 

"Keep looking," he urged. 

"Found them!" Buffy said triumphantly. 

"uh.. Look for cream!  Whipped!" Angel suggested as he set out the candles over the room; on the window ledge, the table, beside the beds.  He quickly lit each one of them and arranged them in a pattern.  Then he switched out the lights and dove back under the sheets. 

"Angel, saucy," Buffy commented with a smirk as she came to their door.  She gasped as she saw the candles littering the room.  She dumped the arm full of food on the bed and crawled over to Angel.  She straddled his upper body as he leant against the headboard.  Buffy held his face and kissed it. 

"That's so thoughtful Angel," she murmured kissing him softly again.  Angel pulled down his blue shirt that Buffy was wearing for the trip to the kitchen despite Angel's protests she remained unclothed.  He kissed her right shoulder and worked his way down.  Buffy shed the shirt and joined him naked under the cream sheets. 

She picked up the strawberries and opened the carton.  Smiling, she placed one in his mouth. 

"Remember.." She grinned playfully. 

"I remember Buffy," Angel nodded, kissing her after a bite of the sweet strawberry.  "I remember the first bite of the strawberry.  I remember the ice cream I fed you.  I remember--" 

"Licking it off your bare chest," Buffy nodded.  "Darn.  I knew there was something I forgot." 

"I also remember a little more of what happened afterwards," Angel wiggled an eyebrow. 

"You know, if I was selecting a husband on the grounds of subtlety, you would not be at the top of the list," Buffy said dryly.  "Any other department, you'd win hands down," she commented kissing his fingertips. 

"Tell me more." 

"Do better than that Angel, I'll show you." 

The next night, Friday for gods sake, we went patrolling again.  Very awkward but we had to look for the Jonyul Demon and slay it.  He was clutching a shiny blue bottle, I was gripping my axe and we said nothing as we looked around for the Red Guy. 

"Hey Leigh." 

We both turned around to see Josh there with a broadsword.  What is wrong with this picture?  He's patrolled - sure - but never with a broadsword. 

"Thought you could use an extra guy." 

"Su-Sure," I nod. 

"He's in the mausoleum," Pierce says, ignoring Josh completely. 

"Again?  Get a real estate agent," I groan. 

Josh chuckles a little and holds his axe tighter. 

"So what's the game plan?" He whispers. 

"I'll read the incantation, Leigh you'll behead the demon and you will stay here," Pierce told Josh. 

"What?  I can help with something." 

"Yes.  You could go home," Pierce said peering into the darkness.  Testosterone fever pitch. 

"Hey you're not the Watcher of me," Josh hisses. 

Pierce put down his binoculars and turned to Josh beside him. 

"No.  But you're rather beginning to annoy me," he growls infuriated. 

"Children, children," I laugh nervously. 

"Fine you want to help," Pierce shrugged, turning away.  Then he looked back and hooked Josh's right jaw.  Josh fell out of the bushes and the Jonyul snarled and came out after him. 

"Oh crap," Josh hissed, getting to his feet as the Jonyul advanced on him.  I moved to jump out the bushes and kill the Jonyul but Pierce held my arm.  Josh gripped his sword and swung at the demon.  The Jonyul caught the blade in one hand and crushed it, pulling it out of his hands and throwing it away. 

"You must surprise the Jonyul to be able to defeat him," Pierce told me.  I shoved him back and hurdled out the bushes to help Josh. 

"Josh get out the way!" I yell, grabbing him around the waist and throwing him in the safety of the bushes.  The Jonyul came after me.  This thing's about seven feet tall with red skin and a drooling mouth full of fangs. 

I can hear Pierce recite this spell in latin or greek or something as I fight with the Jonyul. 

"Now!" Pierce yells, throwing me my axe that I left in the bushes.  I grab it in one hand and using a footstep on the Jonyul's chest to elevate me, I reach the head and swing the axe. 

I jump down breathless and see Josh staring at the headless demon fall lifelessly to the ground.  He then turns to Pierce and shakes his head furiously. 

"You're so very beyond crazy," he says to my Watcher. 

"I-I--" Pierce stutters.  He takes a look at me and then does the fleeing thing.  I turn to Josh and his expression is gentle. 

"Go on after him, I'll be OK.  Go." 

"Thank you," I say to Josh and run to my car. 

"What the Hell was that?" I ask, running after him from my dads car and into his apartment, slamming the door behind me. 

"I'm--I'm sorry," he says pinching his eyes. 

"Sorry?  Sorry?  You just *attacked* my best friend?!" 

"Yes," he realizes. 

"Why?  Why would you think about doing that?" 

"I went.. A little.." 

"PSYCHO?" I roar.  "You could of killed him!" 

"Oh God," he breaks down on the sofa.  I instantly soften, making an 'o' with my mouth.  "I'm so sorry Leigh.  I felt this rage and anger and hate and jealousy overcome me.  I lashed out and I wasn't thinking.  It can't happen again." 

"What happen again?" I ask sitting down next to him. 

"I need to leave town again," he says quietly, through tears.  "And this time I can't come back." 

"W-What?  You're my Watcher." 

"We both know that if I was only that, all this would be fine," Pierce told me.  Well... um... yeah. God I hate it when he's right. And he said 'jealousy' back then.  Jealous.  "I'm not a good man." 

"Yes you are.  I know you are," I plead with him.  Don't break down on me Pierce.  What the Hell am I supposed to do without you? 

"You have no idea what I've done!" Pierce wept.  "Where and what I come from.  You don't know anything about me Leigh!" 

"I know that I care about you.  I know that I'm falling in love with you.  I know I trust you with my life.  And... and I know you feel the same.  We haven't so much as kissed and I'm so in love with you.  And it kills me that something... is making you act this way." 

Pierce looked through his tortured soft brown eyes at Leigh.  And I stand there, my eyes matching his.  Chocolate brown with unearthly knowledge beyond my years and compassion to soothe and comfort him. 

"Tell me." 

"I c-can't..." He stuttered. 

"Why?  Why can't you?" I ask him softly. 

"You won't be able to look at me the same.. trust me the same." 

"'I'll trust you like I always have.." I murmur.  Damn, I keep moving closer.  I nuzzle his neck with my forehead and bring my hand up to his face, tracing the lines of his jaw and running my fingernails over his nose. He turns his head to my face on his shoulder. 

This is it.  I can feel it.. We search each others faces for any objections.  Then he tilts his lips down to mine and I reach up to meet him halfway.  And we kiss - finally after 3/4 a year, his lips touch mine.  I slide the other hand around to run through his hair. 

I slipped my tongue inside his mouth first as the kiss mutated from this slow burning sweet romantic one to a passionate, deep,  can't-keep-our-hands-off-each-other kiss.  He pulled me further to him and  I  wrapped my other arm around his waist, sliding up the back of his shirt.  We broke apart, breathless and needy for more. 

"Are you.." He starts. 

"Oh yeah," I replied, smashing our lips together again.  He caressed my face I concentrated on crushing our bodies together. I reached up to his loose tie and pull it out completely.  Before I can undo anymore of the buttons, he catches hold of my hand and kisses all my finger individually. 

"Leigh.. We.." 

"Stop," I command him, holding his face in my two hands and kissing him lightly.  "This feels right Pierce. What if I never have this moment again?  Just don't stop touching me.  Don't tell me we can't.  Don't remind me of all the reasons why we shouldn't," I rhyme off to him, while taking his soft hand and leading him backwards to his newly made bed with the white sheets. 

"I love you," he whispers.  "I never stopped thinking of you in England.  Not one second." 

"Well make up for it now," I said softly sitting down on the bed while he stood in front of me.  He bent down, taking a deep breath and kissed deeply. I kissed him back fiercely as he clumsily removed my shirt while I shakily take off his.  I laid back on the bed and he followed me, making sure my mouth never left his.  I moaned softly as we slipped between the clean sheets and well... you know. 

He was patient and caring and loving.  Slow and sensual.  Understanding and emotional.  Always asking if I was OK.  Always asking if I wanted to slow or stop.  I remember the last thing he said to me as we both exploded into bliss.
I love you... 

I flickered my eyes open and see a change from my pale blue walls at home to a cream shade of wallpaper.  Then I rolled around to see another change from my stuffed animals. 

"Pierce, you're awake," I said softly. 

He nodded and bit his lip.  He takes his hand up and brushes my hair back gently. 

"Have been for about three quarters of an hour," he told me. 

"Are you... OK?  Is everything... OK?" 

"I'm sorry," he said after a long time, sitting up.  "I'm sorry Leigh. I shouldn't of..." 

"No," I protested, sitting up with him and holding the sheets to my chest.  "You should of.  We should of." 

"We're hardly a stable relationship," he argued.  "That's not what you deserve." 

"It doesn't matter.. it doesn't matter about that.  What matters is that I love you. And you love me. And we needed more.  We needed to be together last night," I said with difficulty.  "Look at it this way, Romeo and Juliet had sex after like two days.  And she was actually fourteen.  In the play." 

"I do love you.  But how can we be in love?  We've seen each other for the space of a few weeks in total for the past nine months.  And you're sixteen.  And I'm..." 

"OK, I'm just feeling my way through this, you know.  But I do know that we're not supposed to deconstruct why we feel this thing we do, right now.  The morning after my first ti--" I said, feeling my lip curl sorely.  I tried really hard to hold back the tears and he enveloped me in his arms.  I put my head on his shoulder and concentrated on not crying.  Not now.  Not when I think he's trying to say it was a mistake. 

I pull back from him and clutch the sheets closer to my chest. 

"Say what you mean Pierce.  Was it me?  It was, wasn't it?" 

"No!  I mean, no.  No it was in no way you," he assures me. 

"Did I.. do it wrong?  Miss something?  Cuz you know I don't have a lot of experience." 

"No," he said, putting his warm hands on my shoulders.  "Not you.  It was
incredible and... we were good.  It's nothing you have done," he said awkwardly blushing red. 

I sigh, half relieved, half exhausted. 

Then the phone rang, shattering the silence between us.  He leaned to the side and picked it up, pressing it close to his ear. 

"Yes this is he.  What?" He said in a really sharp tone.  He swung his legs out of the bed and sat up fully.  "When?  Yes... ok... where can I find it?  Thank you." 

He put down the phone and sat in silence. 

"Slay business?" 

"Not for you to be concerned with," he told me slipping on his pants. 

"How exactly did that work?  I do the Slay business.  You Watch and tell me what to Slay and I do it-- Gah, I mean Slay.  I do the Slaying." 

"Not this time," he said pulling on a sweater. I wrapped all the sheets around me and slid off the bed to sit beside him. 

"What?  Pierce you're not being honest with me." 

"Because I have to be." 

"No you don't.  I think I deserve a little honesty."  He stares long and hard at me. 

"It's a family thing." 

"So tell me.  It's what you went to England for nearly all the year for, isn't it?" 

"Leigh--" 

"Pierce, you can tell me." 

He resigned to the fact I had to know and sighed. 

"My father  "My family are Sorcerers.  Powerful magicks.  Long associations with a Occult group th-that kill Slayers.  My fathers' Slayer... I saw them kill her when I was five.  I wasn't supposed to be awake... but I saw them torture her.  And I saw my father torn between his destiny as a Watcher and his family heritage to the Occult.  And he let her die." 

I slipped my arms around him but he only held onto them for a second before shrugging out of them gently. 

"The Kansigh Occult are here.  In Sunnydale.  I think they're after you and Buffy.  Which is why you can't face it." 

"We can face it Pierce.  You, me, my mom, my dad and the rest of the Scoobies. Strength in numbers." 

"No Leigh.  It's not force that gets it done.  It's magick.  It'll strike you down before you can fight.  You have to stay on the bench for this one." 

He stood up and searched for socks.  Stunned, I shook my head. 

"You think you're stronger than me?" I questioned.  "You want me to prove it right here, right now?  Pierce, I can kick your ass before I breathe twice.  They'll make paste out of you. Worse - liquid." 

"Leigh.. I'm your Watcher and I'm ordering you--" 

"Ordering me?  ORDERING ME?" I roared.  "No, no, you're not gonna give me any more orders.  We just... made love.  I just gave you my virginity and ten seconds after you're giving me orders?" 

"It's for your protection--" 

"The Hell it is!  I'm the Slayer and I've seen the Bridget Jones Diary and I'm not into emotional fuckwittage!  Trying to hold me down and think you and your council have Power over me because I'm stronger than you.." 

"Leigh, please," he begged.  Must not look into his eyes.  So I continued gathering up my stuff quickly and angrily.  I'm thinking about throwing a shoe at him but they're my Manolo Blaniks that I took a year and a half to save up for.  "I don't think that..." 

"You don't think at all!" I accused.  "You think and do and order what the council tell you to.  Just wondering, did they tell you to sleep with me?  You're like their puppet.  That's exactly what you are.  Puppet-Boy!" I yelled, pointing my five hundred dollar shoe at him. 

"Leigh," he said again in a desperate tone.  Must ignore it.  "I love you.." 

God he means it.  This is so stupid. And hard and why does it have to be like this?  Why can't I have a doomed romance with a vampire who isn't threatened by my strength or try to order me around?  Well, they say a girl measures her guy up to her daddy. 

"I love you Pierce and I can't change that.  But I can change that Watcher position-- You're FIRED.  Booted.  Axed.  Sacked.  Let go.  Gone.  Left the building.  Down the hall and in your car," I said, going to the door, still in his white sheet.  "Or more accurately I am.  So enjoy your Hocus Pocus, jiggery pokery and fuckwittage because I'm not into that.  I'll kill the cult with people I can trust!" 

I rattled the door on it's hinges as I slammed it shut and stomped off down the hall.  He ran after me and left the door ajar, yelling my name.  I jumped over the 15 feet metal stairs leading up to his apartment block and hold tightly onto my clothes and improvised robe.  He had to run down the steps really quickly but he didn't catch up with me as I dumped my stuff in my dad's car and drove off. 

I saw him in the rear view mirror, sitting down on the sidewalk curb and holding his head in his hands.  His shoulders convulsed like he's crying.  As I drive, tears are falling down my face. 

When I turn the corner, I can't see him anymore. 

I can't go home like this.  I'll go see Joshua.  He'll calm me down and if he fixes my makeup, I'm so sure he's gay.  Which is a good thing. It'd be cool to have a Guy friend with no sexual tension or one of us fancying the other.  Which is pretty much how it is now. 

Anyway, his parents are out of town so if I walk up to the door wearing a toga, no one will freak.  Or maybe his new neighbours across the street will think I'm a call girl. 

So I cried and ate ice cream and cried some more at Josh's.  God I love him.  He knows nearly everything there is to know about me and still wants to be around me.  I wish he wasn't gay.  OK so I've had no confirmation of his homosexuality but it's a convincing case.  He did tell me my mascara was streaked and my eye shadow shade was 'all wrong'. 

Before sundown I felt brave enough to venture home and change to go patrolling.  As I snuck up the stairs, jumping past the creaky steps I thought I heard Giles's voice in the kitchen so I was safe; my mom would be down there with him. 

I opened the door to see my mom. 

"Dammit," I hiss. 

"Where'd you go?" She asks softly. 

"Stayed at Josh's after patrol," I lie. 

"Oh.  OK.  Want to come a sweep with me?  Giles thinks there some ED--"
(That's mom speak for extra-demonic) "--Activity brewing.  Could be a mother/daughter thing." 

"Cute," I laugh. 

"It's a Slayer killing thing--" 

"The Kansigh.  I-I already know.  Pierce told me." 

"Anything else he told you?  He's kind of a good watcher.  Got a lot going right now.  I wonder how he manages to stay on top." 

I think I'm going to die.  Instead I briefly close my eyes and go 'hmm'. 

"Dad's OK about me having his car all day?" 

"Your father was too busy most of the day to care," she shrugged. 

"I can't tell you how pleased I am for that visual image." 

"Anytime," she says standing up to go to my door.  "Leigh?" 

"Yeah?" 

"You seem.. different somehow," she says in a quiet tone.  "Something.. I don't know.  Your hair?" 

"Josh did it." 

"That boy is so gay," she laughs.  "Well, it makes you look older.  More... I don't know... mature?" 

"Uh... thanks." 

Then she leaves.  Josh never did my hair.  It's just been combed.  So cliché; the whole older aura part. 

"Buffy." 

My mom and I were walking home from patrol that night with no sign of the Kansigh, when we heard that voice.  We both turned round to see a peroxide blonde Billy Idol wannabe with a long black leather coat. 

"Spike," my mom said in a short tone. 

"Spike?  That's a name?  A legal name?" I blink. 

"And this must be Leigh," Spike laughs.  He's sorta cute in this light.  But from the Ugly Ass circa-1970 outfit I'm guessing vampire.  "Newish Slayer and daughter of Angel and Buffy.  Well well.  You're a bit cuter than I expected you to be.  And that's sayin' something.  You're cuter than the last Slayer actually," he grins and my mom places her hands on her hips. 

"You mean me?  Cuz there's been two 'last' Slayers before Leigh.  Kendra and Faith." 

"Fine, you're the cutest Slayer I've ever had the pleasure of meeting," Spike complimented me in a really nice gentlemanly way.  Again, he looks  cuter in this light.  He's got a really nice smile.  He holds out his hand but my mom snatches it away from me and twists Spike's wrist.  He yells loudly in pain as I hear a crunch. 

"Bl-Bloody HELL!" He yells.  "I was offering a little peace, a little respect and you break my BLOODY ARM!" 

"Sorry.  Wait, no I'm really not.  So what's wrong Spike?  I thought you had no chip.  I don't recall you trying to kill me lately.  A few vamps last night.  No challenge - hey that's what it was like in the old days.  You'd send lame assassins after me - I'd Slay.  You'd be pissed.  Everyone's a winner." 

"Yeah.. well.. I've been trying to find Dru," he mumbled scratching his head.  He looks just like a little lost boy now. 

"So... are you gonna try and kill me now?  Because if you are, hurry up because she has a curfew," my mom nodded in my direction.  I protect myself with a small 'hey' and put my head down. 

"Well... not exactly..." Spike said sticking his tongue behind his teeth.  "Turns out the Doc that did me in Germany had some crappy workmanship.  There's about half of it still up there; or so I'm told by some Sunnydale doctor I kidnapped last week.  It only kicks in every so often.  I didn't... uh... know it still was there... until last week." 

"Poor William the Bloody annoying," my mom taunted.  "So are you leaving
Sunnydale in a Quest to find yet another cure?" 

"Mmm, not when I have you here to annoy Buff," he retorts.  "You'd miss me way too much." 

"Like a stake in the heart Spike." 

He tilts his head and looks at me curiously.  My mom notices this and looks back and forth. 

"What are you doing Spike?" 

"Well that's Angel's sprog right?  Well what does that make us?" He wonders. 

"Nothing," my mom says in a facetious, but hard tone. 

"No, no.  She's from Angel's blood and so am I," Spike thought aloud. 

"Yeah.  But different blood.  You're nothing to each other.  You're a vampire and she's the Slayer." 

"Dad made him?" I ask them both. 

"Yes.  He's my Sire.  I'm his Childe." 

Oh.  I seemed to have missed that in my research.  William the Bloody-Spike.  Must look him up.  And 'Dru' as well. 

"Was," my mom confirms.  "Was.  Angel's not a vampire anymore.  Everything's different." 

"Tell yourself that," Spike chuckled.  He gazed at me again and this knowledge and realization hits him.  He snapped his fingers and my mom looked as if she might break them off.  "I heard a little rumour but thought it was mighty unlikely as I thought it was about Mummy Slayer," he laughs.  I go a weird shade of yellow. 

"What?" Buffy asks annoyed. 

"The reason I thought it was so ridiculous and gave me... vomit inducing thoughts was because I thought it was you and Giles having it off.  Now not only did this not make sense cuz you finally get to be with Angel, but it made me feel very dizzy so I forgot about it."  

"Huh?  Me and Giles what?" My mom repeats. 

"Only it wasn't about Mommy Slayer Spice numero uno, it was about Baby Spice," he gestured towards me.  "What?  Don't tell me you - Miss Sunnydale Freaky Intuition '99 didn't know?  The rumour was about the Slayer and her Watcher scrogging." 

Then my mom went a weird shade of yellow. 

"What's Spike talking about?" My mom asked me, shaking her head. 

"Sordid tales of Watchers and Slayers travel fast in the demon world," Spike laughed, sitting down. "We all like a good laugh.  Last time there was a Watcher/Slayer boink, was back in the Boxer Rebellion.  Yeah, oh yeah, the Slayer I killed was having a big tortured love affair with her own Watcher.  And I--" 

"Leigh, tell me something!" My mother demanded.  I couldn't.  It was like there'd been a 'no access' sign pinned to my vocal chords or my throat had been clamped with one of those big ugly yellow clamp things.  I wanted to talk; obviously deny it all.  But either my conscience or a lack of water wasn't allowing me that gift.  "Did you?" 

"Did I what?" I manage to say.  That was a great show Leigh.  Next you can say 'I didn't do it!' 

"Have s-s-se... sleep with Pierce?" 

Now that yellow is turning to red and now purple.  Possibly violet. 

"I di-- it's nothing to do with you Mom!" I yelled and walked away. 

My mom exhaled and glanced at Spike who chuckled and walked away saying, "the joys of parenting." 

She caught up with me and stopped me in my tracks, pinning back my shoulders.  "Did you sleep with Pierce?" She asked in a softer voice. 

"W-What if I did?" I stammered. 

"Oh Leigh," she whimpered, covering her face. 

Great.  Not only do in feel like all the crap in the state of Texas added up and multiplied by the number of sleazy politicians in this country about the whole Pierce debacle which I've still got to totally dissect in my head, my mom is disappointed in me. 

"Tell me your reasons," she said clearly. 

"I love him.  It felt right.  We needed it to happen.  I just.. there was this.. I felt right," I repeated. 

"And do you regret it?" 

"I don't think so," I said in a small voice.  Which is sort of true.  I just wish I could talk to him and tell him I'm sorry for being an ass.  But then if I do, I'd blame him for being the ass.  Funny. He brings something out of me. Something I didn't know I had.  Something angry and full of rage.  Jealousy maybe.  But what of?  It doesn't make sense. 

"Then I'm OK with it," she said holding my hand. "I trust your judgement." 

HA!  At least someone does. 

"Thank you," I nodded. 

"Just don't do it again." 

"Not in a hurry," I assured her. 

"I'm going over to Pierce Owen's house to smush him, wanna come?" Buffy asked Angel who was sitting reading the evening newspaper. 

"No... I already disembowelled him yesterday night," Angel said turning the page to the business section. 

"No you didn't because yesterday night he was having sex with your daughter," Buffy said in a hard tone, looking for her blue jacket. 

"Oh... What!?" Angel said putting the paper aside. 

"Yeah.  They got together.  He treated her like crap.  They had a fight.  I'm going to run him out of town.  That's only because murder's against the law." 

"No Buffy," Angel said with difficulty. 

"What?" 

"No.  Don't ask him to leave.  Don't get involved.  And this version.  I don't see Leigh telling you that one." 

"OK so it was my interpretation of the text since she's now crying up into Mr Gordo." 

Angel gritted his teeth and resisted the urge to hunt Pierce Owen down. 

"She's in love with him.  And as much as it kills me to say it, we need to let them sort it out." 

"What?  Hello pod-Angel.  What are you talking about?" 

"Buffy sit down," Angel gestured.  "I never thought I would have to tell you this since no good would come of it, but this is my reason.  Your mom, Joyce, she came to me before the Prom.  She asked me to leave town.  For you.  Because we wouldn't work.  So... I did." 

"Uh huh," Buffy bit her lip looking away from Angel. 

"Are you angry at me?" 

"No.  No I'm not," Buffy sighed, kissing his nose.  "Just... shocked.  That you would take orders from my mom." 

"She's quite frightening.  All you Summers women are." 

"Remember you're a Summers now," Buffy told him.  "I suppose we shouldn't interfere.  But if she tells me to, I will kick his ass." 

"And I'll help.  So how did you find out?" 

"Spike." 

"Tell me more.  What new reason do I have for staking my inbred Childe?" 

So I heard my mom and dad talk about Pierce through the floor as I hold Mr. Gordo closer. 

Not so grown up now. 

I decided I should do something because if I don't, I'll only think of Pierce and what a jerk I am and what a jerk he is.  I think we don't mesh.  I know I'd do anything for him but we don't mix.  That is so infuriating.  I want to rip the walls down and yell 'why, why did I have to yell at him?  Why did he have to have secrets?'. 

I dragged out a few research books I've been using to find out about Angelus and hope they'll be something on Spike/William the Bloody and Dru, whoever she is. 

After a solid 90 minutes of research, I know a lot about Spike.  How old he is, where he comes from.  How he got his name - William the bloody because he was a 'bloody awful poet' and Spike because he used to torture people with railroad spikes.  I learned he was a lot more irrational than Angelus.  He was a killer, Angelus was a predator.  Spike was savage and Angelus was vicious.  I learned how he was Sired and that Dru is Drusilla; his ex lover.  Another childe of Angelus.  Spike was made for Dru by my dad as a boy toy. 

I can deal with my mom and dad having a whole other world but my dad has a whole other world and family that even my mom is not a part of. 

I head down to Willy's to see if I can get a beat on where Spike lives. 

Pierce rushed over to the door as he heard a short tap on the wood and threw it open. 

"Leigh?  Oh sorry," he mumbled to the visitor.  "I thought you were Leigh." 

"No, I'm really not," Angel said stepping inside, remembering the time when he had to wait for an invite.  "But I came to talk to you about her." 

"O-OK," Pierce nodded, shutting the door behind Angel."How is she?  Will
she... talk to me?" 

"What happened... in the morning," Angel added quickly. 

"We had a fight over the Kansigh.  They're here.  Do you know what they are, what they do?" Pierce asked Angel, going to retrieve a book. 

"Yeah, I do," Angel nodded sitting down.  "They kill Slayers.  Came across them once." 

"Well they could kill Leigh or Buffy without having lifting a weapon.  That's why they can't fight them.  I tried to explain it to Leigh but she thought I was... a puppet.  For the council," he sighed, feeling embarrassment creep over his face. 

"You need to make this right," Angel told Pierce.  "You realize what you've done?  You're her first love.  And she's hurting right now.  As much as 'torture' would be the immediate option a while back, you're lucky I'm human now.  Tell me.  Is this thing with you two going to work out?" 

"I-I don't know," he admitted. 

"Do something about it.  If you're ending it, leave.  Because you have no idea how hard it is so stick around after." 

Pierce nodded. 

"I need to go," Angel said, standing up.  He glanced to the side and saw Leigh's white cardigan draped over the chair.  Angel bit his lip and looked at it pointedly and then back to Pierce.  "You better sort this out or next time, I'll let Buffy come over here herself.  She was ready to dig holes in you this time." 

"I will."  Angel nodded and headed for the door.  "Angel!"  He turned round to the Watcher. 

"I love her." 

"I know you do.  Do you love her enough?" 

"So William the Bloody Thorn In My Side," I announced, walking into his crypt.  When I say crypt, I mean it.  This horrible gross cobweb-by place.  Which makes me shiver - would you believe I'm Little Miss Slay and I'm scared by spiders?

"Leigh Summers.  Daughter of my Sire.  And also Buffy-Pain-In-My-Ass. What brings you here?" He grinned wickedly, sitting in this new chair, looks like leather. 

"Sightseeing," I lied. 

"Really Niblet, why you here?" He asks, switching the tv off and standing face to face with me. 

"Kick the crap outta you." 

"See you got Buffy's hand-me-downs," he smirks.  "Let's be having you then." 

He stands square off with me, his hands by his sides.  From my research I found out that if he hurts me even a little, the chip will go off and he'll get these searing migraines. 

"But you're harmless.  Doesn't it bother you that you can't lift a finger?" I ask, half annoyed.  Is he trying to play me?

"You need to get it out your system," he says, ignoring my question.  "The anger and rage.  Cut loose.  Unleash." 

"And you want it to be on you?"  I can't believe he would let me beat him up.  Does this guy get off on pain?  I don't get it. 

"It was my fault Goldilocks and the Great bear known as Angel found out about Poofy Owen," he reasons.  He actually seems kind of decent.  For a Soulless bloodsucking ex-rampagey vampire.  What's that about? 

"Pierce.  And you don't even know him!" 

"Don't I?  When I went searching for my bloody cure, I met him.  In London.  Fighting the Kansigh or whatever," he groaned leaning against a wall support.  I jumped up on a stone coffin lid and cross my legs.  "Right wanker.  You're better off without him, love." 

"That's your... Professional opinion?" I asked trying to get more comfortable.

"Well, yeah," he said, seeming hurt.  He noticed my wriggling and threw me a peach cushion from his chair.  "So what happened anyway?  Well everyone in the demon world knows you two had it off.  Didn't you know all the tricks?" 

I glared at him.  "You're disgusting." 

"Now, where have I heard that before?  So what then?" He asked, acting concerned.  Or maybe he is concerned.  Confused. 

"We had this huge fight over.. me as the Slayer and him the Watcher.  Well, more accurately, I yelled at him.  And fired him." 

"As your Watcher or your boy toy?" 

"Watcher," I sigh. 

"Better off without him as both." 

"I think that's what's happened. And why do you care?  I did a little
research.  I thought you were a Soulless one man Slayer killing machine.  You may not be able to kill, so what's with the caring?" 

"I don't care," he said huffily.  "We're just talkin'.  And I'm bored." 

"Oh thanks," I said dryly. 

"Plus you don't seem too bad." 

"Thanks again.  You either.  For a bloodsucking killer.  No offence." 

"None taken.  So tell me," he said sitting down in his leather chair.  "Did you love this guy?" 

"I do.  It's driving me crazy." 

"Love does that.  You might love each other but it's all about keeping each other sane.  Just knowing the other's alive is a reason to keep on going.  But if all it does is bring out the irrational, insane and pain it's not worth it.  It might be love, but it's ultimately not worth it." 

"How'd you get to the Wise Old Sage?" 

"Lived long enough.  Me and Dru were a bit like that towards the end.  All we did was fight.  God we loved each other but all I wanted to do was bloody yell at her for going with a damn Chaos demon or pound her into the bed." 

"Eww." 

"Well it's true.  It was two modes towards the end.  Fight or f--" 

"Yeah I got it," I assure him. 

"Your mum and dad's proof of the reason to live part of love.  Even when she was with Riley, that great lummock Angel and probably you as a tot, was all that kept her going." 

"So what are you saying?  I should forget about Pierce?" 

"I'm saying you should do what feels right." 

"Oh." 

There was a nice silence.  Comfortable.  Like we'd known each other for way longer. 

"You can hang out here for the rest of the night," Spike offers.  "Good to have someone to talk to." 

"Ugh, I should probably go into battle mode with the Kansigh but I'll leave it a night.  I don't know anything about them," I groan. 

"That's dangerous.  Have Giles, Willow and Xander roll out the research wagon and tomorrow I'll help you Slay these guys.  I need a little action.  Sound good?" 

"Sure," I nodded gratefully.  Hanging out with Spike might not be so bad. 

"Oh, on one condition. You don't mention that Poof all night or mope over him." 

"Why Spike?  You jealous?" I chuckle.

"Please Summers," he laughed.  "Just bloody sick to the back teeth of the Summers women moping about like they could beat Angel in the Annual Brood Off competition.  It'd be like hanging out with the undead.  Fancying you would be like.. the worst thing I could think of.  No offence but you are the offspring of my Wanker Sire and Buffy, the most annoying Slayer since well, ever.  Like I said, hanging with the undead.  Very dull." 

"Hypocrite," I scoffed. 

"It's why I always get such a warm reception round Sunny-D way," he chuckles again. 

"I believe you." 
  
  
 
 

THE END