| Mazzy & Prebuffy present |
| ******PreBuffy****** Willow made her way back to the table, Dawn in tow, and spied Buffy and Cordelia laughing crazily and sloshing beer all over themselves. She turned to Dawn and asked, �How long were we in there?� Dawn looked between the witch and her sister doubtfully. �Not THAT long!� They approached the table cautiously. Buffy snorted as she banged her mug onto the table. She saw Willow and grabbed her in a loose hug, throwing an arm around Dawn. She looked at her sister and mustered the most serious face she could. �Dawny, never date any boys. They�re all useless. I�m not saying go all gay either.� She turned to Willow. �Not that there�s anything wrong with that.� She steered them both in Cordelia�s direction, where the statuesque blond had her head thrown back in giddiness. �Yeah,� Cordelia concurred. �Boys are stupid. They think they can save everyone. Save the world! They can�t even put down the toilet seat.� Buffy laughed again. A little too loudly. She hopped into her seat, nearly toppling it and signaled the waitress. Willow un-signaled her and looked at both girls reproachfully. �You guys are all drunk and stuff?� Buffy frowned at her and nearly fell off the stool trying to get the waitress to come back. �We are not. We�re just�looser. Yup. All with the loose.� Willow looked at Dawn and muttered, �That�s what I�m afraid of.� At that precise moment, Xander walked in, looking tired and exasperated. He was trailed by Anya, looking just a little less homicidal. He made his way to the table and was smothered by Willow. �I�m so glad you�re here. We need to go. Now!� Xander glanced at the girls. Cordelia had her head on the table and Buffy was frowning into an empty beer mug. �Too much frothy-goodness?� �Waaaaaaay too much!� He regarded the girls thoughtfully. �All of you can�t fit in my car.� Willow smiled. �It�s okay. Just take them and Dawn. I need to go to the Magic Box anyway. Anya, can you come with me?� Anya stood frozen, not sure whether to argue about Xander taking Cordelia in his car, or wondering what Willow was up to. She chose the latter. She had done all the talking she was going to tonight. �Fine. We�ll walk.� Xander pulled Cordelia off of the stool and stood her up. �C�mon you. We�ll get you into a nice warm bed and you can sleep this off.� He saw Anya looking daggers at him and said, �Not mine. She�s staying with Buffy.� He half dragged-half walked her towards the door. Anya unclenched her jaw. �She better be.� Willow grabbed Anya�s arm and ushered her towards the door as well. �Okay. Let�s go. Got some research to do. Going bye now.� Dawn patted Buffy�s shoulder and told her it was time to go. Buffy didn�t respond. She looked like she might cry. �What�s wrong?� Dawn asked, brows furrowed. She knew this look. This was the �I can�t control everything� look. She tried to help. �Spike is fine, I�m sure. Please don�t worry so much. He�ll be fine.� Buffy looked up at her sister and took a deep breath. �Yeah,� she said with resignation, �He�s in good hands. I hope.� ******* Lorne stood in the lobby of the Hotel and regarded the two vampires behind the desk with concern. Granted, they weren�t happy-go-lucky to begin with, but right now, they were REALLY bringing down the whole group. Fred was twisting her hair from her position behind the counter and Gunn was defensively cleaning a sword with broad strokes. Connor was nowhere to be found, which was probably better, since he was NOT helpful at all. Fred came and stood beside him. �Well? What did you tell them? They look like someone killed their puppies.� �Sugar, I wish I could share. But I�m not feeling like freaking everyone out right now. It�s bad enough we have to deal with Moody and Broody over there. Boy, for such good-lookin� guys, they sure can ugly up a good time.� Fred twisted her mouth into a half smile. �They do brood well don�t they? Angel alone, now that�s brooding. Both of them? They could teach a class.� She turned to Gunn, noticed he was busy with the weapons cabinet, and whispered to Lorne, �What happened to Wesley? I know he was with Spike earlier. Where�d he go?� �I needed him to get some information for me. Plus, he�s not Mr. Popular around here right now.� Fred sighed. �I know.� Lorne put an arm around her. �It has nothing to do with you, Pumpkin.� She looked at him strangely. �I know. Wait. What are you talking about?� Lorne removed his arm and said rather loudly, �Boy, I sure could use a drink. Anyone else?� Spike looked up from where he had intently been studying his shoes. �Yeh, Mate. That�d be heaven.� �Don�t I know it.� He busied himself making drinks. �So, have you two had �The Talk� yet?� Spike lifted an eyebrow, cocked his head and looked at Angel. �What talk? That talk!? I knew it! That whole, �This is my green FRIEND Lorne!� Riiiight!� Angel rolled his eyes at Spike and got up from the desk. �I am not gay you dolt.� He looked sideways at Lorne and added, �Not that there�s anything wrong with that.� �Yep,� Lorne replied cheerfully, walking in their direction with two glasses. �To each his own.� He handed Spike a tumbler of something brown, which Spike downed gratefully. As Lorne went to make him another, Spike kicked his feet onto the desk and continued, �Even if someone WAS gay, I�d think they�d have better sense than to shack up with Peaches �ere.� Angel vamped out and growled at Spike. �I told you NOT to call me that! And get your damn feet off my desk.� Lorne quickly intervened, standing between them. He handed Angel a tumbler and nearly spilled Spike�s refill on himself. �Now, boys, no fighting.� Gunn�s voice rang out from the parlor. �Let �em fight. I�ll break it up.� Fred jumped up from her chair, a little hastily. She laughed uncomfortably. �He�s kidding. He�s just� Charles!� She ran into the parlor to reprimand him. Lorne returned his attention to the two vampires. �You two know you need to talk. You can avoid it until the next apocalypse, but you still need to. There�s a young lady counting on both of you. You don�t want to disappoint her, do you?� At the mention of Buffy, Angel sat down again. Spike picked his feet up off of the desk and returned them to the floor. At the same moment, the door to the hotel opened and closed with a bang. Everyone�s eyes drifted towards the noise. Connor stood on the doorsteps, looking his usual agitated self. Angel got up and walked towards the door. He regarded Connor with suspicion as Spike looked on with curiosity. He bore a striking resemblance to� No, there�s no way. �What�s going on? Are you in trouble?� Angel moved closer to Connor as Connor moved away. �No. I�m fine. How about you? Kill anyone lately?� Connor sidestepped him and laid eyes on Spike. He looked back at Angel. �New friend?� Angel stiffened. �Old�acquaintance.� Spike stood, �Now, Peaches, don�t be modest. We were way more than that! I�m Spike. And you are?� �Connor.� Spike looked between him and Angel, sensing the tension. �Charmed, I�m sure,� he replied. �Not that that explained anything.� Connor jerked his head towards Angel. �I�m his son, unfortunately.� Spike gasped in disbelief and turned to Angel. �I knew it. He looks just like� No. Yeah? How?� Angel shrugged. �I actually don�t know.� Spike frowned and looked at Connor with interest. �Quit staring at me. I am not a science experiment,� he spat. Angel intervened. �What do you want, Connor?� �I have information. But you look like you�re busy with your vampire friend. So if you don�t want me here, I�ll leave!� With that he backed out the door and disappeared. Angel sighed and sat down on the couch in the entryway, head between his hands. This was all too much for him to handle at once. Connor. Spike. Buffy. What Lorne had told him. He felt like his head was gonna explode. Spike looked at Angel, still a little shocked. �I can see you guys really bonded. And exactly when did you� I mean, he�s like 15. And human. And Darla�� Angel stood abruptly and yelled, �Now is not the time for twenty questions, okay?! I do not want to talk to you about this. I have enough on my mind. I gotta get out of here.� He broke out in a near run and flew out the door. Spike looked at the door in mild surprise. �Well, that wasn�t very graceful, was it?� At everyone�s horrified faces, he recanted. �Fine. I�ll go talk to him.� Fred frowned. �Are you sure that�s a good idea?� she asked. �He doesn�t seem to, uh, want you around right now.� Spike shrugged. �Hasn�t got much of a choice, has he?� He turned on a heel and left the building. Gunn turned to Lorne and Fred, both looking concerned. �You may find this hard to believe, but I actually like him. He�s cool people. Or cool demon, as the case may be.� Fred smiled a small, tight smile. �Let�s just hope he�s around long enough to get to know him.� She looked towards the door again. �Should someone go out there?� Gunn put his arm around her tiny shoulders. �Nah, baby. They�re men. They can handle it.� Fred didn�t look at all convinced, but she relented. �Lorne, can I get one of those drinks?� ********** Willow and Anya arrived at the Magic Box. The stony silence all the way there from Anya had done nothing to calm Willow�s frazzled nerves. But she kept calm as Anya took forever to unlock the door. Anya turned to her and locked her eyes on Willow�s. �I�m letting you in here on good faith. The faith that you won�t trash the place like you did last time. The decorators JUST finished the remodel and you can�t pay for any more damage. Nor can your parents. No one makes that much money. Except me.� Willow sighed patiently. �I said I was sorry about that Anya. I won�t hurt anything. This is a simple locator spell. I just need to locate Cordelia�s memories.� Anya nodded in approval. �Right. So she can remember she hates Xander too. And then remember how to get back to LA.� Willow nodded encouragingly. �Right!� When Anya turned to open the door, Willow rolled her eyes. If it wasn�t about money, it was about Xander. Talk about a one-track mind. She almost laughed out loud, remembering her own crush on Xander. What was a girl to do? Poor Xander. He gets no action in high school, and now he has more than he can handle. Good thing I�m gay, or else he�d really be in trouble! She strolled into the shop behind Anya, marveling at the excellent job that had been done renovating it after she�well, broke it. Anya flicked on the lights and Willow gasped. The sign behind the cash register said �Anya�s Magic Box� in huge red letters. Willow nearly fell on the floor. If only Giles could see it now. Plush red velvet couches next to ceiling high bookshelves full of books. A little sectioned off work area for Scooby research contained a huge conference table made of cherry wood and was surrounded by comfy-looking swivel chairs covered in different shades of red and purple and burgundy. All of the wood was reddish and smooth to the touch. There was a computer for customer use in another corner with another chair in front. Of course, there was a charge to use it. All of the supplies were in their own little jars on the shelves, with small placecards in front telling the name and common use of the product. There were candles everywhere, to be lit to add to the atmosphere. The glass case in front had everything on display on cushions of red velvet and little wooden stands. �Wow, Anya, it looks great in here.� �Yes,� Anya replied. �Your parents money bought a lot of nice things. There�s even a full kitchen in the back and a resting area if anyone�s here late. Or if I want to watch the money overnight.� As she turned on the light in the study area, Willows eyes filled with tears. A gilded picture frame hung discreetly in the corner. Inside was a picture of Tara, looking over her shoulder and smiling at the camera. In the background behind her were Dawn, Willow, and Xander, clowning around. Willow remembered that day. Anya had been the photographer. Somewhere off to the side, Spike was skulking about in the shadows, keeping watch over them. Buffy was standing off to that same side with one eye off the picture and one on her friends, hands on hips, half-smiling, eternally torn. A tear fell from Willow�s eye. Anya walked over to her and examined the frame, tilting it until it was perfectly straight. She looked at Willow �What�s the matter?� Willow wiped at her eyes. �Nothing.� �Are you upset by the picture?� Anya asked defensively. �I liked Tara, you know. She was very nice. And she always cleaned up after herself.� �No, it�s fine. I�m glad you have it up.� �Well,� Anya said uncomfortably, �She was my friend too. I am sad that she�s gone.� Willow placed a hand on Anya�s shoulder. �I know. Thank you.� Anya shrugged Willow�s hand off. �You need stuff, right? Help yourself.� She headed towards the back of the store. Willow could hear her sniffling. When she had assembled the ingredients on the table, Anya returned with coffee and doughnuts. She set them down on the far end and sat down. �What now?� �I really needed your help. Because you can sense pain, right?� Anya confirmed the statement with a nod. �Okay. I need you to fine tune that sense for someone who�s lost. It�ll help with the spell.� �Fine,� Anya replied. �What do I have to do?� �Nothing,� Willow said. �Just concentrate.� She spread the ingredients over the table and chanted the Song of Lost Souls. To edit the spell for the current situation, she added some of Cordelia�s hair to the mix and intoned, �I call on thee, Patron of Lost Souls, to find the one whom we seek. Bring her to me that I may see. As I will, so mote it be.� A huge swirling movement blew all of the spell�s components off the table. The swirl turned into a whirlwind and Willows eyes flashed black. The movement of the white matter grew tall and reached the ceiling. A bright white light shined out of it and the clouds swirled back down towards the table. A white figure emerged and shone so brightly, Willow and Anya had to cover their eyes. The light receded and the figure became clearer. It was Cordelia, her hair lighter and shorter, looking ethereal, sheathed in all white. The figure reached out to Willow and mouthed �Help Me!� before it disappeared and the entire Magic Box went dark. Then the lights turned back on and everything went back to normal. Willow stared at Anya in disbelief. �Did you see that too?� Anya nodded, dumbfounded. �What was that?� Willow shrugged. �I have no idea. We�d better call Buffy.� Anya sipped her coffee thoughtfully. �Yeah. Probably.� She surveyed the mess on the floor. �Tell her to bring the Dustbuster. ******* Spike chased after Angel in the dark, using his vampire sense to track his grand-sire. He stopped abruptly, slamming into his old friend�s rock hard chest and falling to the ground. �What are you doing? Are you trying to annoy me?� Spike got up and dusted himself off. �No, I just wanted to make sure you were okay.� Angel frowned at Spike from beneath a creased forehead. �Why?� �Because you seemed upset, mate. And apparently, I care.� �No, you don�t, so just go away, would you. I really don�t feel like looking at you right now.� Spike bristled. �That�s it. I�ve had it. I�m outta here. I don�t know who pissed in your cornflakes this morning, but a bloke can only take so much. How�s about I just sod off and you can abuse someone else.� Angel didn�t even look at him. �Fine.� �What the hell is your problem?? What�d I do to you that�s wankin� you off so bad?� Angel barked with what could have been considered laughter. �What�d you do? Nothing. That�s all you ever did. Nothing. And still. First Drusilla, and now Buffy. You just lay back and wait for them to fall on you after they�re done with me.� Spike snorted. �Yeah, mate. I just can�t get enough of your hand-me-downs.� Angel gritted his teeth. �Then why do you keep doing it?� He was practically yelling. �I�m not doing anything. Dru came to me. She sired ME, remember? You should. You were standing right there.� �And Buffy?� Angel sneered. �What�s she? Revenge?� Spike pulled out a smoke. �No. I don�t know why I love her. I just do.� �It�s that simple huh? I�m not buying it, Spike. What are you up to?� Spike blew out the smoke. �I told you, you great big Poof. Nothing.� �So, you think she loves you back or something. That�s insane.� Spike shook his head. �Yeah, �cause who could love me, huh?!� Who could love stupid ol� Spike, Angel�s lackey. The one who had to take care of our entire family when you got your bloody soul back. Do you think I wanted to? I thought you would always be there to look after me and you ran off. With a baby! But I get it now. I get it, okay.� Angel grabbed Spike by the collar and threw him against the wall. �You don�t get anything. This is all your fault!� Spike looked at him like he was the one who was insane. �Come again?� Angel let him go and leaned against the wall next to him. He put his head in his hands again. �Darla, she� She brought me the gypsy girl to curry my favor. She wanted some attention. She said I was spending too much time with you. Training you, teaching you, when you were supposed to be Dru�s plaything. She was jealous. And because of that damned Gypsy girl, I got my soul back. You get it now?� Spike stared at the stars, then asked, �So, is that good or bad?� Angel shook his head. �I don�t know.� Spike tentatively let out a breath for punctuation. �I think it�s good.� Angel looked at him sideways, too tired to argue. �Why�s that?� ��Cause now I have one too.� Angel smiled. �Always gotta copy me, doncha?� Spike smiled back. �Yup. I�m mini-you. Walking in the footsteps. Tryin� on the shoes. Hey, it�s not SO bad.� �I guess not. It could be worse.� �How�s that?� Spike asked. �I could be following you.� Spike glared at him. �Ha-ha. Nice to see the soul gave you a sense of humor.� Angel patted him on the back. �I�ve always had a sense of humor. It was funny as hell to make fun of you.� |
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| Note: The following story takes place prior to Buffy season 7 "Selfless" and prior to Angel season 4 "Spin the Bottle". This commences an AU B7/A4 |
| PART VIII |
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