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"Angel, where have you been?" Dru purred. "I waited for you." Angelus smiled, drawing her to him as he entered the mansion.
"We missed you so much," Spike added sarcastically.
"I’m sure you did," Angelus said, then turned to Dru. It was business my love, you would have been bored." Dru pouted and Angelus walked farther into the mansion, leaving her watching him. At the moment he didn’t care what Dru was worried about. He could see Buffy’s face already. Vengeance was so close and so very, very sweet.
"What kind of business?" Spike demanded, wheeling around to face him. "Have you finally decided to kill the Slayer or is that too much to hope?" Angelus turned back with a mocking smile and a gleam in his dark eyes.
"Oh don’t worry my friend. We’ll be done with her soon enough," he said. Dru clapped her hands and twirled around.
"I don’t like here!" she announced. "She made my daddy all mean!"
"Well don’t you worry about it anymore," Angelus said, walking back to Dru and putting his arms around her. "I’ve got a very nice suprise coming up for Buffy."
"Well, I-I can’t–"
"Oh. That’s okay. I figured there were all kinds of things you couldn’t do, like volunteer for the Red Cross or, or have little vampires," Buffy said, slightly troubled, but more concerned with Angel, the here, the now.
"You don’t think about the future?" he asked.
"No."
"Never?"
"No. Angel. When I look into the future . . .all I see is you. All I want is you," Buffy whispered. His eyes carressed her face.
"I know the feeling." And then they weren’t in the graveyard, but sitting on his bed, in his apartment and Buffy had that cold, scared feeling in the pit of her stomach.
"I love you," he said. "I try not to but–"
"Me too," she said. "I love you too." And he kissed her and hesitated, but she brushed aside her fears and pulled him to her and he wasn’t Angel, but Sebastien, and he was kissing her so very sweetly . . .
Buffy’s eyes snapped open. Angel, her heart cried. She told herself she had to focus on what he was now, Angel was gone. But it was so hard. She still loved him, she loved him so much and she couldn’t believe he was gone forever. It didn’t even register in her mind. She still wanted him. And then here was Sebastien, who was handsome and charming and who had held her hand on the walk home. It had felt so good to have someone to walk with again, someone to tease, dark eyes to bring out the laughter in. But was Sebastien just a substitute for Angel? And could she ever let herself take that risk again? She had decided she couldn’t, but she hadn’t been tested, not really.
And did Sebastien even want her? But he did, she could see it in his eyes every time he looked at her. Should she stay true to Angel, even though he was gone? Was his actual presence matter, or was it that she still loved him? Because she did. She would never stop loving him. Her mind told her that she could move on–that she should. Her mind told her that Sebastien was human and had a soul that couldn’t be taken away, but that didn’t mean she would feel any better about kissing him.
"What should I do?" Buffy whispered. Across the room, Kathryn stirred. Buffy bit her lips. She’d forgotten there was someone else in the room. She took a deep breath and lay back down, closing her eyes and trying to banish the picture of dark eyes watching her. She couldn’t even tell who’s they were . . .
"How was your walk last night?" Kathryn asked, casually sitting beside Sebastien. Buffy had said something about a book she needed from the library and they had opted to stay behind. Sebastien’s eyes glinted.
"Quite interesting. And yours?" Kathryn smiled but didn’t reply. "Come on sis, fess up," Sebastien coaxed.
"Also very interesting," she replied finally, then saw Cordelia and smiled, waving. The apparent queen of the school saw them and smiled back—she was a darling creature, though a bit transparent (Kathryn was too polite to say tactless) and rather . . . ditzy.
"Kathryn!" Cordelia exclaimed, seating herself beside Buffy’s cousin. "I simply adore your dress! One of a kind Gucci?"
"I’ve never met anyone with such an eye for fashion!" Kathryn complimented her. Cordelia smiled at Sebastien.
"And you, Sebastien, I wish all young men had your exquisite taste!" Cordelia exclaimed, beginning to glower a bit before realizing what she was doing and smoothing her expression.
"Ah, here’s your boyfriend now," Sebastien said, spotting Xander. Cordelia winced.
"Hey Cordy!" he greeted her. "Sebastien. Kathryn. Good to see you! Having fun over here without me?"
"Oodles," Kathryn replied teasingly. "Sorry Xander."
"Fine, I can take a hint!" Xander exclaimed. "Cordelia come on!" He grabbed the arm of Cordelia’s cardigan and began to pull, eliciting an outraged shriek from his girlfriend.
"Xander! Let go of me this instant! Just what do you think you’re doing?" she demanded.
"Now now children, let’s not do anything we would regret later," Buffy said, arriving on the scene with Willow and Oz.
"Who would regret it?" Xander muttered. Cordelia gave him a scathing look. Buffy sighed. Willow looked smug, then lost her smile when Oz touched her arm, looking instantly contrite instead. Buffy was about to open her mouth but the bell rang. There was a collective wince.
"Why do we have to have tests in history? It’s not like we’ll ever use the knowledge or anything!" Buffy exclaimed.
"Oh don’t worry about it," Kathryn said. "I’m good at history, I’ll take the test for you."
"Really?" Buffy asked, slightly surprised that her cousin would go the trouble of doing that for her. Maybe she’d judged her wrong.
"Of course silly! You’re family, and a friend besides. Do you have a hat?" Kathryn asked. Buffy nodded slowly.
"In my locker, why?"
"Well, put your hair up underneath it and I’ll do the same with my hat and your teacher will never know which is which. I’ll take the test for you, and then we can take our hair back down after class," Kathryn explained. Buffy smiled brightly, feeling much better, then glanced at the clock.
"Come on, we only have three minutes left!" she exclaimed. Giggling like little girls, the cousins ran off down the hall, waving good bye to the others. Sebastien watched them go, wondering why Kathryn was going to all the effort. Something had happened on that walk she’d taken the night before. He’d just have to get her to tell.
"I’m in for a nice long relaxing bath," Kathryn said, yawning daintily.
"Go for it. There’s bubble bath in the cabinet if you want it," Buffy said. "I’ll go downstairs and watch some TV or something. What is it, Thursday? Must See TV here I come!" Kathryn smiled.
"Have fun," she said. "Where’s Sebastien?" Buffy shrugged.
"I think he’s in his room. Maybe I’ll drag him down with me," she said. "Thanks again for the help on that test."
"No big," Kathryn said, then laughed. "I’m starting to talk like you!"
"As long as you don’t pick up on Cordelia—scary much!" Buffy exclaimed, laughing. Kathryn grinned back and picked up her towel to go into the bathroom. Still smiling, Buffy turned away and started down the stairs before stopping and cocking her head. No music. She ran back up and went to the room Sebastien was staying in, pausing outside the door. She pondered whether to knock—he was her guest, and she should entertain him. Yet . . . she was so confused about him altogether, would he even welcome her company?
Buffy raised her hand to knock than stopped it. Just as the door opened. Sebastien and Buffy came face to face. Buffy let her hand drop.
"I was just—I thought you—" Buffy stammered. He gave her a sexy half-smile. She felt weak at the knees and forced herself to think Angel. She felt much better, until the Angel turned into kissing Angel at which point the weakness in her knees had nothing to do with Sebastien. "You want to watch TV or something?" she finished lamely, grasping for something.
"Sure," he said. "Shall we?" She looked where he pointed—down the stairs—and nodded like an idiot, then got the idea and went down quickly. Her mom was working late at the gallery, so they had the house to themselves. Willow and Oz were having a study date/real date, Cordelia was out to dinner with her parents, and Xander was moping.
Buffy sat on the couch and grabbed the remote, giving Sebastien a nervous smile before she flipped the TV on. Friends was on. Yippee.
"So . . . Rachel or Monica?" Buffy asked. He gave her a quizzical look. "Which Friends character do you prefer?" His mouth twitched but he didn’t answer. "Don’t tell me you’re above Friends. Nobody’s above Friends. It’s just not right!"
"Sorry," Sebastien said. "And I wouldn’t consider myself above th—" He stopped at a look from Buffy. "Okay, so maybe I would. But I just—"
"Have better things to do," Buffy finished. "Yeah I know, I’m pathetic. But truthfully, I don’t watch TV that much either. In fact, I’m usually a lot more busy than I am this week. And I’m not making that up to impress you. I’m usually out every night!"
"I believe you," he said. "But you don’t date." Buffy blinked.
"Not that kind of out," she said desperately, wondering what kind of corner she was talking herself into now.
"It’s all right, I understand," Sebastien said. "I don’t date a lot either." Which, of all the things he’d said so far, was probably the most truthful. Sebastien didn’t date. Sebastien seduced. Of course, Buffy didn’t know that . . . at least, not yet . . .
"All right Kathryn, enough avoiding me. What’s your plan? Why the sisterly love all of a sudden?" Sebastien demanded, cornering Kathryn in the cafeteria the next day.
"Wouldn’t you like to know?" she replied. "And I haven’t seen you being so indifferent to sweet Buffy either."
"You tell me and I’ll tell you, deal?" Sebastien suggested easily. Kathryn considered it for a moment, then nodded.
"Deal," she said. "You first." He looked as if he might protest, then shrugged slightly.
"All right. Buffy’s the perfect target; she’s sweet, innocent, chaste and she’s vowed never to date again," he answered.
"But not never to f*** again?" Sebastien’s mouth turned up.
"Great minds think alike," he said simply. Kathryn’s green eyes glittered. "Your turn."
"The other night I met Angel, Buffy’s ex on my walk. We kissed; he’ll be eating out of my hand momentarily. I just don’t want Buffy interupting my plans before they come to fruition," Kathryn replied.
"Good. You can have Angel—if you can get him, he still seemed a bit taken with Buffy—and I’ll have Buffy." Kathryn’s eyes flashed at the implied insult.
"I can have him! I’m a bit more worried about you brother dearest," she purred. "I wouldn’t exactly call her meek, and she seemed more than a little taken herself."
"Would you like to make a little wager?" Sebastien asked. "I sleep with Buffy, you give me what I want. You sleep with this Angel person, I give you what you want."
"Let me think about it," Kathryn replied, just as Buffy arrived. They turned to her with equally charming smiles.
"What are you guys talking about over here? You look all serious!" she exclaimed.
"We were just discussing how sad we’ll be when we must leave," Sebastien said.
"Oh, me too," Buffy said, though she sounded a tad less than enthusiastic. "But we still have a week, right? So don’t be sad! And we can always write."
"Right." Xander’s stomach growled loudly.
"Is anyone else hungry here?" he asked.
"Let’s humor him before he gets ancy," Willow said. Xander made a face at her, but she just smiled. Cordelia slapped her boyfriend’s arm.
"Why are you always hitting me?" he demanded. "I didn’t do anything!" The group started toward food. Kathryn grabbed Sebastien jacket’s, catching his eye as they followed.
"You’re on," she said, her eyes cold and hard and very very sharp . . .