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See Prologue for Disclaimer
Part 3
“Ugh. Why did I bother coming today?” Buffy whined as she plopped herself down in one of the oak library chairs and sighed. “I totally bombed my history quiz, and we have so much math and chemistry homework tonight I’ll be up until four doing it all. I bet all the other Slayers didn’t have to go to high school.”
Giles, used to her pointless whining, ignored her and kept on reading. Buffy sighed and folded her hands in her lap.
“All right, I’ll stop. Any luck with finding something on vamps that can suddenly disappear and turn up someplace else? Gee, how much fun this’ll be, me fighting something and then fighting the air and looking like a complete idiot.” Her voice grew serious. “Giles, this...this thing totally wigged me out. She had these...these powers, this aura full of confidence and scorn, like she knew she was going to win. And...and her presence there was terrifying.”
“Oh, come on, Cordy’s not that bad,” Xander joked as he walked through the library doors with Cordy on his arm, Willow and Oz right behind him. His grin faded as he saw their serious looks.
“Buffy? What’s wrong?” Willow asked, her voice full of concern. Everyone sat down around the oak table, waiting for Buffy to speak. She turned her head to the side, sighing, and then looked back, brushing a piece of her golden hair out of her face.
“Probably nothing,” she smiled, or tried to, but she didn’t impress anyone. The smile faded from her lips as she said, “I had this dream last night. This vamp was totally kicking this Slayer’s ass, and then...she disappeared. Only, she didn’t stay gone,” Buffy swallowed, then continued. “She...she turned up behind the girl...then bit her.”
The Scooby Gang winced, knowing what kind of effect the dream must have had on Buffy. She just shook her head.
“That’s not all. She...she rammed the stake through the girl’s heart, too.”
“Ewww. Major ick-fest!!!” Cordelia shrieked, then suddenly grew somber.
For a time, there was silence. Then Willow spoke up.
“Do you think it was a prophecy dream?” Buffy shook her head again.
“It was definitely real, I could just tell. It was like I was in the past or something. The vamp was dressed in an old-fashioned black dress, her hair was black and her nails were blood red. Which matched perfectly with her lips,” she said, then shuddered. “And I have a feeling she didn’t exactly keep a tube of Revlon’s Candy Apple lipstick and a matching nail polish bottle in her back pocket. Not that she had any back pockets, ‘cause, you know, she was wearing a dress...” Buffy stopped when she realized that she was rambling on. “Okay, sorry, I’m just a little wigged. Anyway, Giles has been in full research-mode and turned up nothing. Right?”
“Hmm? Oh, yes, nothing as of yet. There’s...there’s no record of this vampire that you described...are you sure it wasn’t just one of your natural fears that you were dreaming about?” Giles asked.
“Giles, you should know best that when I have dreams, they’re usually meaningful. Why all of a sudden the doubt?”
“No-no reason, no doubt. Just...just making sure this was a thing that really did happen at some point...yes, well, I’d best get back to my research.”
“Ooh, I can help,” Willow volunteered eagerly. “Research girl, that’s me.” Giles put a hand on her shoulder as she attempted to rise.
“It’s all right, I’ll manage tonight. I don’t feel the need for heavy research just yet. I’ll call if I turn up anything of use,” Giles said, then turned and headed up into the stacks.
“Well, I for one wasn’t exactly looking forward to another all-night research party in this gross old library, the atmosphere ruins my hair,” Cordelia said, wrinkling her nose, the she suddenly brightened. “Hey, let’s all go to the Bronze. It bound to be a little more entertaining than roaming the streets like sitting ducks. Who’s up for it?”
Xander rose, along with the rest of the Slayerettes, leaving only the Slayer still seated. They looked at her questioningly.
“You guys go, have fun. I’m off to Sunnydale General to make sure my boyfriend is behaving himself and not flirting with the entire nurse staff,” she smiled, then paused. “No, wait, let me rephrase that. I have to make sure the nurses are behaving themselves and not flirting with my boyfriend. I’ll catch you guys later.” Buffy stood and grabbed the leather jacket Angel had given her so long ago, along with her schoolbooks (a shock, yes, but she’s have lots of time at the hospital to try and get some of her work done so she’d be able to become a senior next year). She pulled the jacket on and held her books down at her side, slinging her bag over her shoulder. She smiled at her friends, then left as the others followed her out, heading towards the parking lot.
As Buffy walked, she began to think about her dream some more. None of the others knew just how much it had wigged her. That hatred....Buffy shook her head. She’d just have to think positively. She’d tell Angel about it and he’d say it was nothing and when she went to school tomorrow Giles would assure her it was all her imagination and nothing like that had ever happened.
She smiled and continued to walk into the fading sunset.
Spike sat, shocked for a moment, then craned his neck around, staring at the side of Leonna’s face. She continued to look straight ahead, allowing him to drink in her profile. She was beautiful, there was no denying that. The gentle bump of her forehead, her long, sensual eyelashes, the sharp curve of her nose, the full redness of her lips. Turning her head slowly, she looked Spike in the eye with her lips turned up in a slight smile.
She rose slowly and walked around his chair to face him. She kneeled again, and Spike squirmed slightly. “And how do you plan to do that, exactly?” Spike asked, breaking the silence that had filled the room.
She looked coyly up into his eyes, blinking her long lashes. “That, my sweet, is where you come in. You see,” she said as she stood up, using Spike’s knees to push herself up. “You know her better than I do, you know her weaknesses, her strengths, all those things I’ll need if I’m to destroy her. And I was thinking I’d stay here for a while, laying low and watching, and then when you’re all better and I feel ready, we’ll kill her together,” she finished, that little smirk on her face. Spike sat for a moment, contemplating her offer.
“Well,” he said, shifting in his chair, “I’m always open to new ideas, and I have to admit your offer is quite...intriguing. But, I don’t know...ah, what the hell. I’m always up for a little action.”
“I know,” Leonna whispered, a knowing smile on her lips. Spike ignored her little comment and continued.
“I’m almost healed, so hopefully we won’t have to wait too long. I’m assuming you’ll be using some of your...special skills...to fight the Slayer?” Spike inquired, his lips forming a slight smile. Leonna’s grew.
“Would you expect anything else? I thought you knew me better than that, William.”
“Don’t call me that. It’s Spike now.”
“Oh, yes, of course,” Leonna said, floating lightly on her platform shoes as she began walking around the room. “You always were the over-dramatic type, darling.”
She walked around the room slowly, deep in thought, trailing her fingertips along the bare gray walls as she walked. “Good, so that’s settled. We’ll talk more about this at some later time. Melanie and I have had a long trip, and need our rest. Would you be a gentleman, love, and show us where we can stay?” Leonna asked as she went over and picked up the two tiny suitcases she had dropped before. Rolling his eyes, Spike led the way down the darkened corridor, stopping at a closed door. Making a sweeping motion with his hand, he indicated this was to be their room.
Smiling, Leonna opened the door, flicking the light switch on as she stepped in. She walked around the room, investigating, then turned back to the doorway. Spike was gone, as she had expected. Her smile grew larger as she thought of the coming weeks and Spike’s reaction to her.
It would be interesting, he was in for a lot of fun. Catching up on old times, spending some quality time together. She’d have to remind him about all the good times they’d had.
That had been her main reason in coming. To see William, her little darling, again. Killing the Slayer was just an added bonus.
It would be very interesting indeed.
Opening Angel’s hospital room door quietly, she was surprised to see him awake and watching some cheesy soap on TV. He glanced up when he heard the door open, and his face broke out into a broad grin as he switched off the television. Buffy returned the smile, stepping over the threshold and walking slowly towards his hospital bed. He sat up, staring at her as she crossed the room.
“Wow, Buff, you look gorgeous today. Absolutely gorgeous,” he said, reaching up to bring her face down to his. They locked lips and stayed that way for several moments, ending as Buffy straightened and opened her eyes slowly, a smile returning to her lips.
“Thanks,” she said shyly, looking deeply into his eyes.
The door to the room suddenly swung open, startling both Buffy and Angel. They looked up to see a woman in a nurse’s uniform standing at the foot of the bed, examining a clipboard. The woman obviously didn’t look up to see Buffy as she spoke.
“So, Angel,” she said in a flirtatious voice. “ God, I just love your name. Angel. It’s so heavenly, so pure and good. I wouldn’t mind screaming it out at the top of my lungs during...” the nurse trailed off as she looked up to see an extremely pissed-off blond standing next to Angel, holding both his hands in her own. The nurse turned bright red and stammered, “Uh...um...during a um..a fight. Yeah, um...a fight. Uh, Sorry.”
Buffy just glared at the nurse, her icy stare causing her to look away sheepishly. Angel broke the awkward silence after a few moments.
“Let me introduce you two. Buffy, this is Michelle, one of my nurses. Michelle, this is my girlfriend, Buffy Summers,” he said, trying to break some of the tension.
“Oh, um, pleased to meet you. I’ll...I’ll be out of your way in a sec,” Michelle said and checked some of the machines Angel was hooked up to before making a hasty exit. Buffy stood glaring at her the whole time.
After the door was shut, Buffy looked back at Angel and suddenly burst out laughing. She knew she should be really pissed, but when Michelle had been talking, Angel had looked at Buffy and rolled his eyes, indicating that he’d heard this before. A moment later Angel joined her.
“Yeah, she wishes she could get you. Nice try there. Have you been putting up with that the whole day?” Buffy asked, still giggling. Angel nodded, and Buffy laughed even harder. She soon became quiet, as did he, and they went back to gazing into each other’s eyes.
The door swung open again, and Buffy looked at the intruder with daggers, but it turned out to be just Angel’s doctor. She walked over to the foot of the bed and picked up Angel’s chart. Frowning, she looked at it closely, then looked up at Angel.
“My, my, you sure seem to be healing a lot faster than most people. Your ribs and wrist are pretty much healed...very unusual. If they continue like that...I’ll be able to let you out of here tomorrow. Hmph. Very odd...anyway, how are you feeling?”
As the doctor was talking, Buffy looked at Angel more closely, seeing that his lip and the bruises on his face were healed. Startled, Buffy looked him in the eye, but he urged her to keep quiet until the doctor had left.
“Angel, what’s going on? You’re human, you’re not supposed to have super healing powers. You don’t have the strength of a vamp, so why should you have the healing powers?” Buffy asked as soon as the doctor had left.
“I don’t know, baby. They’re not as strong as before, but they’re still there. I can feel them.”
“Ugh. Now I don’t get to play nursemaid to you,” Buffy said, one side of her mouth raised in a sly smile. Angel returned the smile.
“Oh, I’m sure I’ll need you to take care of me and all that. You’re so good at that,” he whispered, then pulled Buffy’s head down for a tender kiss.
“Don’t worry, baby, I’ll take good care of you.”