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"I’m going to go for a little walk Aunt Joyce," Kathryn said . "Just to look around the town. I’ll be back soon."
"Be careful," Joyce admonished. "Is Sebastien going with you?"
"No, he’s upstairs showering," Kathryn said.
"Well, I’m sorry Buffy’s not here to go with you. That girl–!" Kathryn smiled, playing up to the fed up mother.
"It’s all right, I like solitary walks. It gives me time to reflect, you know?" And also time to look for mysterious strangers . . . Joyce smiled broadly and said something inane and Kathryn finally escaped.
The town was quiet and dark and the streets were pretty deserted. She thought about going to the Bronze, but Buffy was probably there, despite what she’d said about a study night. Kathryn had the distinct feeling her cousin didn’t like her very much. Which didn’t really bother Kathryn as long as Buffy had no evidence to present to her mother.
Sebastien had hinted as his seduction plans after Buffy left. Kathryn wished him luck. Maybe she should bet him something, she didn’t think he would succeed. All the girls he’d seduced before had been at heart the same kind of people they were. They’d all wanted it, despite some protestations. But Buffy . . . there was something different about her. Something . . . honest. It made Kathryn want to throw up.
Kathryn looked up and saw a graveyard looming before her. How many had Buffy said there were? Twelve, thirteen? There was something weird about Sunnydale, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. Or anything else for that matter.
"Fancy finding you here. Don’t tell me–love of graveyards runs in the family," a mocking voice said before her. Kathryn stopped the racing of her heart and turned slowly, leisurely.
"Does it?" she asked. "Buffy doesn’t tell me much." His gorgeous mouth curved into a mocking smile.
"She didn’t warn you about me?" he asked, stepping closer.
"Oh no, she did," Kathryn said. "I chose to disregard the warning."
"Well that was stupid." Kathryn smiled back.
"Was it?" she purred. "What will you do to me?"
"Make you scream," he said in a low voice that made Kathryn shiver–partly from anticipation and partly from a strange fear that ran through her suddenly. "That was some masterful acting the other night," he said in a lighter voice.
"Oh thank you. It was nothing really," she said dismissively. He stepped closer until he was nearly pressed up against her. She knew she should step back, pay hard to get, but he made her dizzy.
"Nothing really," he repeated, then bent his head and kissed her savagely. She would have fallen if he hadn’t been holding her. His mouth was hard and painful but so different from anything she’d ever felt . . . Suddenly he released her and she dropped to the ground. He smiled. "Good night. Sleep tight." She sat in the graveyard, breathless and, for the first time in her life, totally and utterly without words.
"He’s being way too quiet," Cordelia said. "Shouldn’t he have like, killed something by now?" Everyone but Buffy turned to glare at her, elicting a, "What?" from the school queen. The Slayer didn’t move, her face a blank mask.
"Buffy–" Willow began.
"No, Cordelia’s right," Buffy said softly. "Angelus has to be planning something. He wouldn’t go this long without doing something."
"Wasn’t he at the Bronze the other night?" Willow asked. Buffy nodded.
"He talked to Kathryn," Buffy said. "I was dancing and I didn’t see at first. She wasn’t really clear on what he said–apparently he thought she was me at first."
"Everyone seems to be having that problem," Giles said dryly. He himself had been slightly confused at first, though their clothing and hair were definitely different.
"Well you guys are like way identical," Cordelia said. Xander smiled happily.
"Two Buffys," he said. Cordelia slapped his arm and Buffy made a face.
"Kathryn’s not me!" she exclaimed. "We look a lot alike, but that’s it! I swear!"
"You don’t want to be like her?" Willow asked. "I mean, she seems pretty nice and she’s really smart and all."
"I know," Buffy said quieter. "It’s not that there’s anything wrong with her, it’s just–I don’t know, I just like being myself and I don’t really like having an almost-twin."
"I’m with ya Buff," Xander said, putting his arm around her shoulders. She gave him a look. "What? I was almost mistaken for John Cusack once!"
"And that’s so exactly the same thing," Buffy said, extracting herself from his embrace. Cordelia slapped him again.
"Well, you should patrol," Giles said. "If Angelus is . . . up to something . . . we can’t do anything about it now so there’s no use in worrying." Buffy nodded.
"Yeah, the little time I have left before I get to go home and be twin-y again, I can at least walk the streets hoping to find someone to kill! And maybe I’ll run into the love of my life too!" Buffy exclaimed, grabbing her jacket and some freshly whittled stakes from the table.
"Now now, don’t be–"
"Bitter?" Buffy suggested. "Gee, why would I be that? Okay okay, don’t you all give me that look! I’m making a funny? Why am I alone not allowed to joke?"
"Cause we worry about you," Willow said softly.
"That’s very sweet," Buffy said, "But I’m fine. Really. And I have to go now." She embraced Willow and waved good bye to the rest of them, keeping a smile firmly on her face until she was out of the library. Because she was lying; she wasn’t fine. She hadn’t been fine since her birthday, but it was no use telling them that. They couldn’t help, they would only worry. She had to deal with it herself. It was just taking a little longer to deal than she’d expected.
"Buffy," a voice called. Buffy spun around, stake at the ready, then realized it was Sebastien.
"Sebastien?" she demanded. "What are you doing here?"
"I was out for a walk," he replied. "Why are you threatening me with a . . . stake?" Buffy’s eyes went wide and she looked at the stake in her hand, then back at him.
"It’s uh, self-defense," she stuttered. "Pepper spray . . . way passé." He watched her seriously, a slight glimmer of amusement in his eyes. She stowed the spike away and gave him a little smile.
"So what are you doing out here?" he asked, falling into step beside her. She steered them away from the graveyard, her previous destination.
"Walking. I like to walk," Buffy said, mentalling cursing herself for stupidity. I like to walk? How much more inane could she possibly get?
"I enjoy it myself," Sebastien said. "You should come visit us. The streets of New York at night are amazing." Buffy smiled a little.
"Sounds great. Didn’t I warn you about Sunnydale at night?" Buffy asked, frowning slightly.
"You’re out here aren’t you?" Sebastien asked, arching his brows. Buffy didn’t have a reply for that; she couldn’t exactly tell him she was the Slayer and therefore not only could but needed to walk the streets at night.
"What about Kathryn? Why isn’t she with you?" Buffy asked, a strange sick feeling in the pit of her stomach.
"Oh, she went for a walk while I was in the shower and there wasn’t anything to do so I thought I’d try it myself. I thought maybe I’d meet her, but I haven’t seen her anywhere."
"Oh," Buffy said softly, trying to disguise her horror and fear. "I see." Kathryn could be anywhere . . . Kathryn could be dead by now! Maybe she went to the Bronze. Buffy prayed she had gone to the Bronze. Angelus would love to kill Buffy’s identical cousin. He would revel in it.
"What’s the matter?" Sebastien asked solicitously.
"Oh, nothing. So, tell me about yourself. Kathryn said you were an actor?" Buffy asked.
"Oh, sometimes," he said. "I’m not . . . not a professional or anything. Kathryn tends to exxagerate a bit sometimes."
"Ah. Did she exxagerate about you never laughing?" Buffy asked, her mouth curving slightly. She wasn’t going to think about Angel. Or Angelus. She wouldn’t let herself.
"Absolutely," Sebastien said. "I laugh."
"But I’ve yet to see a real smile from you!" Buffy exclaimed. "Come on, Sebastien. Be happy."
"I’m happy!" he protested. Buffy rolled her eyes.
"Okay, fine . . . do what you want," she said, shrugging. "I guess that means you don’t need to hear my cheer-up story."
"Cheer-up story?" Sebastien asked. "You must tell me."
"I don’t know . . . you said you were already happy," Buffy protested weakly, then glanced over at him. "But I guess if you really want me to . . ."
"With all my heart," Sebastien said. Buffy opened her mouth and began to invent the most ridiculous, overblown story she could think of about a road trip gone bad. She told it absolutely straightly and every few seconds would look sideways at Sebastien. Soon he was broadly grinning and almost laughing. She finished the story and clapped, everything else forgotten in her triumph.
"See! I knew you could do it!" she cried. He smiled broadly at her–truly, he had an incredibly gorgeous smile.
"You were right," he admitted, catching her hand and bowing over it to
acknowledge his defeat. She smiled back and somehow he didn’t let go of her
hand the rest of the way home.