Ain't destiny's grand?: Chapter 6
by i_hate_mornings


Disclaimer: Not mine. Never will be. Quotes from the show may be used. Don’t sue me.



Chapter 6.

The hotel had been quiet when the three had finally returned. Everyone had left or gone to bed so Angel had offered the girls a room for the night, after all he had plenty, and they’d retired soon after, exhausted from the night events.

He paced in his room, unable to stop thinking of the beautiful Slayer who occupied rooms down the hall form him. His dead heart lurched as he remembered the return to the hotel. Willow had gone to get the first aid kit as Buffy had helped him to a chair. Despite his protests, both girls had cleaned and dressed his wounds. In the end, Willow had been unable to stop yawning and Buffy had eventually sent her to bed, claming she was of no use to anyone when she was tired.

Buffy had finished taping the gauze over the wounds and had looked up at him. They’d stood there staring into each others eyes, neither wanting to break contact and he hadn‘t been able to stop himself. He’d reached up to brush a piece of hair from her face. She’d looked so beautiful in the moonlight, she looked beautiful in any light and Angel had been unable to resist, he couldn‘t seem to resist anything when he was with her. He’d tilted her head slightly, his eyes still locked on hers and his head had begun to lower. A loud crack of thunder had them breaking apart, Buffy breathing heavily. She’d stuttered something before she’d practically run to her rooms.

He sighed and rested his head against the window. No breath fogged the rain washed window and he closed his eyes. Would she want him if he were normal? Is she disgusted that a vampire almost kissed her? Would she want him to kiss her? Thoughts of the blond occupied him for such a long while that when he heard a noise, he thought he’d imagined it. It came again and he stood from his bed and moved quietly to the door as someone moved quietly down the hall. Buffy, he knew instantly. He opened his door as she rounded the corner and he followed the creeping Slayer, keeping out of sight.

He watched as she entered the kitchen. He waited a few moments. When she didn’t come back out, he crept down to the doorway to peek in. The sight before him caused him to smile slightly. Buffy had the radio on, volume down low, and was dancing as she fixed herself a sandwich and a glass of juice. Her hips swang invitingly as she moved around the kitchen. Angel stepped into the doorway and leaned against the door jam, waiting for her to notice him. She put the lid back on the peanut butter and returned it to the shelf.

‘Are you gonna stand there all night?’ she enquired, startling Angel out of his thoughts. He grinned wolfishly. She was the Slayer. He’d have been disappointed if she hadn’t known he was there.

‘I was thinking about it,’ he returned and she turned around, a small smile on her face. Angel stood up straighter as he noticed the tear tracks on her face. ‘You’ve been crying.’

‘Yeah,’ she brushed angrily at the tears. ‘It happens.’

He walked over to her and stopped as she withdrew a little. ‘I won’t hurt you,’ he said quietly and she nodded.

‘I know,’ she spoke softly, wringing her hands together. She was nervous and Angel could hear her heart thumping crazily. He took another step closer and her heart beat kicked up another notch. He smirked. She wasn’t as unaffected as he thought she was. Unless it was fear driving her heart beat. Was she afraid of him? He would never hurt her, she said she knew that, so it couldn’t be fear. Did she lie to him? Maybe she really did fear him. Not that she should, she was a Slayer.

A crash resounded through the hotel and Buffy and Angel ran from the office. Connor stood in the lobby, looking mildly guilty as he tried hide the remains of Angel’s priceless porcelain vase. ’What are you doing, Connor?’ Angel asked harshly and Connor flinched.

Buffy must have seen it because her hand came to rest on his arm as she watched Connor curiously . Angel noticed Connor watching her too and fought the small growl rising in his throat. Connor seemed fascinated with the small Slayer and Angel hoped it was nothing more than that because the Slayer was his. They boy wouldn’t be getting anywhere near her if his feeling were what they shouldn’t be.

‘I asked you a question, boy,’ Angel ground out and Connor focused his attention back on the vampire. Buffy continued to watch Connor and it didn’t escape Angel’s notice.

‘Connor,’ Buffy spoke softly and the boy took a step back. ‘Is every okay? Do you need something?’

Angel frowned at her placid look. Need something? Did she notice something he’d missed? Angel studied Connor and after a moment his gaze flew back to Buffy. Connor was fidgeting and kept looking wildly around. How had he, the boy’s father, not noticed that?

‘Connor?’ Angel frowned concernedly. ‘What is it?’

‘Nothing. It's fine,’ Connor’s expression darkened and Angel had the distinct feeling the boy was resenting his presence. Did Connor have a crush on Buffy? Angel had suspected so earlier but he’d so far seen nothing to back up his suspicions. Would Buffy return the feeling if they were in fact there?

‘Connor, what’s wrong?‘ Angel pressed.

Buffy pulled on his arm and he looked down at her worried face. She nodded towards the door, asking him silently to leave her with Connor but Angel hesitated. If he left them alone, what would happen? Nothing, he told himself angrily. She was not that kind of person. He swore she showed interest in him. Yeah, he mocked himself. A Slayer has a crush on a vampire. That’s really likely. About as likely as a vampire falling for a Slayer and he had.

Nevertheless, he left the room, looking back once as he entered his office and closed the door with a dull thud. He unashamedly pressed an ear to the door but could hear nothing so he pulled back, disgusted with himself and paced distractedly instead. He wondered what they were talking about, if they were even talking at all. A growl rumbled through him as he paced back and forth across the room. Thoughts flitted through his mind faster than he could think them. He imagined what they could be doing and the images were tearing him apart. He was working himself into such a frenzy, he never noticed the door open as one of the objects of his thoughts entered.

He turned, still pacing when he almost bowled her over. How did she get so close? She was watching him curiously as he stood there feeling foolish. If he could have blushed at that moment he would have under her knowing stare. She stood there, hands on her hips, head tilted back and watched him watching her. She looked so… no don’t think like that, he scolded himself. You can’t have her, she’s not yours. She’ll never be yours.

Buffy could practically see the thought process of the normally stoic vampire. He kept his emotions mostly to himself, she knew, but for moments where he slipped or forgot to put the “everything’s okay” mask on. What the mask hid, Buffy didn’t know, but she was so tempted to find out.

He really was sin personified. Being a vampire was probably a big part of that. Who didn’t want the forbidden? A Slayer and a vampire, how much more forbidden could you get? She unconsciously took a step forward and stopped, a frown on her face. Did she want to get involved, in any sense of the word, with a vampire? Granted, he had a soul… a hot body… lips to die for… she mentally slapped herself. No going down that road. That road led to badness. But, maybe she felt like being… bad… for once. Willow was even telling her she needed to lighten up. Willow, who had been sent on a mini holiday- where she’d almost been sacrificed by demons- ‘cause her friends thought she studied too hard, was telling her to lighten up. Was getting involved with Angel the way to go about it?

‘Is everything all right?’ Angel’s tentative voice broke her from her thoughts and she blushed. Red faced, she ran a hand through her hair and shook it out.

‘Yeah,’ she replied slowly. ‘I guess so.’

‘Can I…will… what happened? Is Connor alright?’

‘Oh, yeah, he’s fine. He was just a little confused. I think it helped to talk to me, an outsider, you know?’

‘Yes,’ he murmured. Connor was really the last thing either of them wanted to talk about. ‘So…’ he trailed off. Maybe they should talk about Connor. Neither of them could figure out what else to say to each other without giving too much away.

‘I’m gonna get back to bed. It’s really late,’ Buffy made a move towards the door.

‘Yeah, I should probably be out, keeping the neighbourhood safe. You know how it goes.’

‘Yeah,’ Buffy reached the door and opened it.

Angels hand on it stopped her from exiting. ‘Thank you,’ he said softly, his breath stirring the hair at her nape. She looked up and their faces were inches apart. Her heart begin to beat faster and she could tell he heard the faster pace. He shifted slightly.

‘For what,’ she breathed and instantly blushed. Great one Buffy. Let him think you’re practically drooling for him. Not that you’re not.

‘For doing whatever it is you did with Connor,’ Angel said looking into her eyes. She shuddered. ‘And, well, everything else.’

‘You’re welcome,’ she whispered as he moved closer to her. Their lips were so close now. If she leaned up a little they would be touching and she wanted to do that so badly. The urge to kiss him, to do much more, was instinctual. Fire ignited in her belly and grew outward. The want flushed her face and her heart thumped painfully in her chest. Her gaze dropped to his lips.

She watched, mesmerised, as he reached up and pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. Her gaze dropped to his chest and he slipped a finger under her chin, lifting it so she was returning his fiery look. He leaned in and their lips touched. For almost a second both felt the connection, instant and strong, flow between them.

They broke apart as the front doors to the hotel flew open and off the hinges. A large demon stood in the entranceway, leering at them. ‘I have come for the Slayer,’ it intoned, pointing at Buffy.

Angel stepped in front of her and growled at the demon. ‘I don’t think so.’

‘Wait,’ Buffy pushed the still growling demon out of the way. Why were all these demons after her? ‘Why?’

‘You are the Slayer,’ it replied as though the answer were obvious. Which it was. She knew she was the Slayer.

‘Yeah, and?’

‘You escaped the demon dimension of Thalk’t. I am here for your head. You are worth very much.’

‘Huh?’ Buffy was confused. She turned to Angel who was watching the demon with narrowed eyes. Buffy turned as she sensed some movement and saw Connor coming down the stairwell. His eyes widened as he took in the room. He moved to Buffy’s other side quickly and she smiled nastily. That demon wasn’t getting near her.

‘There is a hefty price on the head of the Slayer. I intend to claim it,’ it moved forward, so did Connor and Angel. Buffy looked admiringly at her two protectors.

For such a large demon with such a grand entrance, the battle was over far too quickly. Angel had reached the demon first and landed quite a few good punches. Connor stepped in and delivered a debilitating kick to its midsection. He turned and slammed his foot into its knees, shattering its kneecaps. Angel ended the scuffle when he snapped its neck.

The vampire and his child regarded the dead demon for a few moments then turned to face her, identical expressions on their faces. Buffy was amused. Almost everything they did was identical. Connor moved the same way Angel did. He fought the same and it was amazing to watch.

Angel opened his mouth, a concerned look plastered on his face but Buffy cut him off. ‘I’m going to bed,’ she said in a false upbeat tone. ‘You can deal with…’ she indicated the demon then turned to head up the stairs. She turned back at a sound from the doorless entranceway.

A lone vampire swaggered in grinning as he surveyed the damage. The bleach blonde dropped the lit cigarette he was puffing away on onto the floor and stamped it out with a boot clad foot. He casually adjusted the long leather duster he was wearing and grinned at the souled vampire. ‘Hello, peaches. Who’s the bit and the chit, ya ponce?’

‘Spike.’




It might be a couple of days before I get Chap 7 up. I’m writing every chance I get. Thanks for reading. Like it? Tell me.

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