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Part 3
"Well, there were about seven that followed us out, though I'm not exactly sure. Between five and ten," Buffy said, describing their reconnaissance mission. It had gone relatively smoothly, though she hadn't really been prepared for them following Brian and she out from underground. After all, all the vampires she'd dealt with before hadn't been able to do that.
"And I saw about five more that I thought were half-vamps. They look slightly different," Brian explained. "At least, I've noticed that their true faces are smoother and more human. When they're in human form of course, you can't tell at all."
"Now that I think about it, I see what you mean," Buffy said. "Yesterday they looked a little different, and I saw a few that looked different today, in the den."
"So anywhere from ten to fifteen?" Giles asked. Buffy nodded.
"But it's a vague estimate. We weren't there long enough to get a real good idea. That place has changed since I staked Dru! It's a total dump!" Brian arched his eyebrows expressively.
"It was a nice place to be before? And who's Dru?" he asked.
"Drusilla, vampiress extraordinaire. She was . . . a little touched in the head. She and this vamp named Spike were sort of a matched item and they made a lot of trouble around here when we were in high school," Xander explained. "Buffy staked 'em when we got out. Sort of a graduation present."
"I was too late though," Buffy said quietly. "Spike was the one that paralyzed Willow."
"It's not your fault Buffy! You couldn't have known he would do that—I mean, we all thought he was stuck in a wheelchair! You were out saving the senior graduation from Drusilla!" Willow exclaimed. Buffy's expression was still bitter though. She had saved the graduation, but failed her best friend. She failed everyone.
"Dru always did love a good party," Xander put in, trying to lighten the mood. Cordelia shot him a glance and he closed his mouth abruptly.
"This may not be the most tactful question, since you all seemed to be avoiding the subject earlier . . . but who were you all talking about earlier, when you were trying to prove that I wasn't a vampire? I mean, we have time now, right?" Brian asked, breaking the silence. Buffy paled slightly and looked down at the table and at her hands. Nothing on them. She'd taken his ring off, and when she went back to his apartment, it was gone.
"It happened a long time ago. It doesn't really matter," Buffy said quietly, knowing that all her friends were waiting for her to speak or not speak. It was her story, really—hers to tell or not.
"I was just wondering," he said. "I'm sorry if I reminded you about something you'd rather not think about." Buffy looked up, surprised.
"How'd you know I—oh well, I suppose I'm rather obvious. You don't need to apologize. I'm easily reminded." There was another long silence, and Xander finally broke it.
"Hey, I don't know if any of you still eat, but I'm getting sort of munchy myself . . ." he said, trailing off.
"Let's go to that new restaurant by the Bronze," Willow suggested. "All my students work there, and they say it's really good. And we can go dancing afterwards." They all went very quiet and looked at her uncertainly.
"Are you sure Will?" Buffy asked. Willow nodded, smiling.
"I want to see you all dance," she said simply. There was a moment of silence, but this time it was full of words. Full of love and thanks for the friend that they had all almost lost. Xander broke the silence again, returning to the subject of the restaurant, but even his teasing was quiet and sweet and meant totally for Willow.
"Should we be worried?" he asked, "I mean, they're not going to try and poison us or something, right?"
"Xander!" Cordelia exclaimed, bringing them all fully back to the present. "Though poisoning YOU might not be a bad thing!"
"If you two are finished, I say we go. I for one, actually AM hungry. Brian?" Buffy asked, turning to the new guy.
"Are you sure I won't be intruding?" Brian asked. "I mean, you guys are all old buds."
"Nah," Buffy said, brushing aside his objection. "Xander and Cordy will spend the whole time arguing and kissing anyway, and Willow and I see each other all the time, so we'll need some new blood. Giles?"
"Not tonight, thank you. You . . . young people go out and have . . . have fun. I think I'll do some studying on these new half-vampires," he said.
"Oh! That takes all the fun out of it, knowing we should be here, helping you!" Buffy wailed.
"Yeah—total downer!" Cordelia exclaimed, looking distressed.
"No no, it's quite all right," Giles protested, shaking his head. "Go out and have fun."
"If you're sure," Willow said uncertainly. He nodded and they all exchanged looks.
"Shall we go then?" Buffy asked.
"Lead on," Brian said. Buffy smiled at him and did just that.
"This is a nice place. Have you been coming here long?" Brian asked, looking down at Buffy. They were dancing, and though the band was playing very different music, the inside had been redecorated and the man she was dancing with was more different than could be put into words, she felt oddly reminded of dancing with Angel.
"Since high school," Buffy said, rolling her eyes. "You'd think we could find some place for adults, but oh well . . . we're not that old yet. Besides, with my classes and Willow's classes, like all the teenagers here know and love us. Willow's the youngest teacher at Sunnydale, and definitely the best. All her students adore her and can't do enough to help her. And, well . . . my students, at least some of them, think I'm like the all time coolest person ever to grace Sunnydale with her presence. Not to brag, or anything."
"Not at all. I can see why some of them think that. In fact, I don't know why all of them don't," Brian said, smiling at her. Buffy looked away, avoiding his gaze. She hadn't been complimented in a long time. . . at least, not by anyone other than Giles (on her fighting skill) or one of her worshipping students, who happened to be five years younger than she was. And she hadn't even gone on a date since . . . since Angel. And that hadn't exactly been a normal relationship.
"Thank you," Buffy said belatedly. She looked back at Brian and saw him studying her with a troubled look.
"What is it? What are you afraid of?" he asked. Buffy broke away abruptly and walked off the dance floor to where Willow was sitting and watching, talking to a student about the homework. He followed her. A few feet away from Willow she stopped and turned abruptly. He barely stopped in time to keep from colliding with her, but he still regarded her calmly.
"I'm not scared of anything," she informed him, then spun on her heel and walked over, summoning a smile for Willow. Of course, it was a lie. And such a lie . . . She was afraid of everything. She was afraid she would never find anyone who could replace Angel, even a little. She was afraid she would. She was afraid there would be a vampire she couldn't beat. She was afraid she wouldn't be able to protect the people she loved, like she hadn't protected Willow, and that they would die. But most of all she was afraid of the fact that being in his arms and hearing that compliment from his lips had felt very, very good.