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Leonna strolled down the street, arms raised above her head as she stretched. She laughed maliciously, the only sound filling the night other than the sharp click of her knee-high boots against the concrete. She headed back to Daniella’s house, where she was supposed to meet Spike and Dru for dinner. She stretched leisurely, arms reaching for the stars. She came back down to Earth and continued on, picking up the pace.
She reached the house to find Spike and Dru sitting on a love seat in the living room. Spike was stroking Drusilla’s lips with his index finger. Leonna stood in the doorway, watching them with intense jealousy. Spike was supposed to belong to her, not the insane vampire. But all in good time...
Spike looked up first, noticing Leonna studying he and Dru with a nasty look on her face. He wondered slightly at the look in her eye, confidence shining through, trying to mask the jealousy and failing. If she so much as dared to touch one hair on Dru’s head...
“I trust you’ve finished your business?” Spike said coldly. Leonna nodded.
“Yes, my sweet, they were dutifully notified. That Buffy has quite a smart tongue. She should know not to speak to her elders disrespectfully. I should rip it out for that...” Leonna said calmly, strangely reminding Spike of Drusilla for the second time.
“Later, ducks. Dru and I are hungry,” Spike said. Leonna nodded.
“I need a good kill. Since I can’t kill the Slayer yet, I’ll have to settle one of the clan members. Come, darlings,” Leonna said dangerously. “We must gather strength for the upcoming battle.”
The Slayerettes gathered in Buffy and Angel’s room after the meeting for a meeting of their own. Buffy was idly carving a stake as they discussed possible fight strategies. Ireena had promised to begin looking for a spell to strip Leonna of her powers. Xander lay stretched out on the bed at her feet, gnawing on a Snickers bar he had brought with him. Willow was sitting on Oz’s lap in one of the chairs in the room. Giles and Katrina stood, directing the impromptu meeting. Angel sat next to Buffy with his arm around her shoulder protectively, and Cordelia was down by Xander filing her perfect nails.
“Well, Leonna probably has a whole bunch of vamps she wants me to fight,” Buffy said, concentrating on her work Giles nodded.
“We must step up your training,” he agreed. She groaned.
“Are we done?” Cordelia asked, sounding bored. Giles moved to say something, but Katrina cut him off.
“Yes, you can all go. I suggest you get some rest, we don’t know how strenuous of a battle this will be,” Katrina said. The teenagers stood and filed out of the room, Giles and Katrina right behind them. Buffy finished her stake and placed it on the nightstand next to the carving knife she had used. She stood and made her way to the bathroom, washing her face and brushing her teeth. Angel came to stand behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. She smiled at him in the mirror.
“Thanks,” he said quietly. She looked at him quizzically.
“What for?” she asked.
“For standing up for me tonight,” he replied. She nodded.
“Hey, it’s no big. No one messes with my Angel,” she smiled. He leaned down, resting his chin on her shoulder. He began to nibble up and down her bare neck, kissing and licking the sensitive flesh. “Angel...we have to be good,” Buffy said to him.
“No, we don’t. We just have to be quiet,” he whispered. She smiled and turned to face him, catching his lips in a sweet kiss.
“That’s not a problem,” she said as they moved toward the bed.
Angel awoke to find nothing but cool sheets holding him. Alarmed, he glanced around, his eyes falling on Buffy. He relaxed slightly, watching her as she gazed out into the moonlit night. Wearing her pajama bottoms and a simple tank top, he had never seen her look more beautiful. She sat with her legs curled up to her chest, her arms wrapped around them, staring out into the dark night. The darkness created shadows on her face, accenting her beauty. She looked like a porcelain doll, a princess from long ago.
Angel got up quietly, careful not to alert her that he was awake. He pulled on a pair of sweat pants and made his way over to the other chair. Buffy jumped slightly as he sat down.
“Penny,” he said lightly. She gazed at him.
“Not worth it. I just had a freaky dream, I needed to think,” she replied. He nodded, reaching out and taking one of her hands in his own. He brought it to his lips and kissed it softly, then caressed the smooth flesh.
“Want to tell me about it?” he asked. She sighed and nodded.
“It was really strange. It was around daybreak, you were in this creepy mansion with this big statue that had a sword sticking out of its chest. Spike and Dru were there, but then they left. It just came down to me and you...actually, it was me and Angelus,” she said, trying to remember everything from her dream. It had all seemed so real...
“I guess this statue was a really bad thing, because Angelus were pretty determined to pull the sword out. We ended up fighting with our swords, it was brutal. Angelus had me backed into a corner...his voice was so mocking when he spoke,” she said softly. Angel almost had to strain to hear her. “He told me I had nothing left...no weapons, no friends, no hope. He shoved a sword right at my face, but I...I caught it. I had one more thing left--me. I turned the tables on him, I came so close to beating him. As I was about to kill him...something happened. He was you again.
“You didn’t remember anything,” she continued. “We kissed, and I told you I loved you, and...and I killed you. I had to, it was the only way to stop the demon in the statue. I left, skipped town after it. It just left me really wigged.”
Angel sat in shock. He looked up to see silent tears falling down Buffy’s face. It had affected her deeply.
“It’s weird,” she whispered. “It seemed like it was so real. I knew everything that was happening, I was really fighting. I don’t think it was prophetic, but...” she trailed off, not knowing what else to say.
“You should tell Giles. Maybe he’ll have an explanation for it,” Angel suggested automatically. Buffy nodded and sighed, wiping the tears away.
“Sorry I woke you,” she said sheepishly.
“Don’t worry about it. It was actually a good thing, could you imagine if someone had come to wake us and found us?” he asked. She gave him a half-smile. “I love you, Miss Summers,” he said.
“I love you too, Mr. I-Won’t-Tell-My-Girlfriend-What-My-Last-Name-Is,” she joked. Angel laughed and leaned over for a kiss.
“Isn’t this a picture,” a cold voice said. Buffy and Angel jerked up, staring in shock at the vampire.
“How the hell did you get in here?” Buffy snarled, leaping up. Angel stood up right next to her. Leonna just smirked at the two of them.
“I had an invitation.”
“From whom?” Angel asked, wary of Leonna and her tricks.
“The doormat. ‘Enter.’ They really should do something about that,” she said, walking forward. She trailed her finger along the bureau, her ankle length crimson coat swirling slightly.
“I have to give you some credit. You do know how to dress,” Buffy said, inching over to where her newly-made stake sat on the night table. Leonna looked down at her attire, the tight black bodice and tiny black skirt, complete with knee high boots. She smiled.
“I do try, you know,” she replied maliciously.
“What’s up with you, Leonna? Taking up stalking as a new habit?” Angel asked sarcastically. All traces of laughter vanished from her face at his words. Buffy shivered involuntarily, a sudden chill creeping into her bones.
“You just wait, Angelus. I’ll kill your girlfriend and I’ll make you watch. And suffer. You’ll be mine, honey. So will Spike and we can rule the world together,” Leonna said as she took another step. Buffy raised her stake threateningly. Leonna just looked at it and laughed. “How cute. Slayer’s got a little stake. You’re a fool to think that you can stop me. So many others have died attempting, and soon you’ll be in that same position. Your time is running out,” she said dangerously before she vanished.
Buffy and Angel looked at each other and bolted from the room. They ran to Cordelia and Willow’s room, throwing the door open and flipping the light on. Cordy and Willow were startled awake and demanded to know what was going on. Not pausing to answer, Buffy ran to Xander and Oz’s room while Angel ran across the hall to Giles and Katrina’s room. When they were assured that everyone was still breathing, they had some explaining to do.
“What the hell was that for, Buffy? Some practice fire drill or something?” Cordelia asked hotly.
“Leonna was in our room,” she said. Everyone gaped at her. “She came by for a little chat and then left. We just wanted to make sure she didn’t grab a midnight snack.”
“What should we do?” Willow asked.
“Keep stakes and holy water next to your beds and scream if she decides to become the ghost of Christmas past and come visit,” Buffy replied. After agreeing, the others went back to sleep.
Buffy and Angel sat awake for a long time that night, mostly making sure Leonna didn’t come back. After a time, they too fell asleep, locked in a lover’s embrace. Leonna watched them hold each other lovingly, Angel’s arms wrapped possessively around Buffy’s body. They seemed so content and in love, Leonna felt sick. She would put an end to their happiness.
One way or another.