Two of a kind: Chapter 7
by i_hate_mornings
Disclaimer: Not mine. Never mine. Always someone elses.


Chapter 7

Buffy slowly came back to consciousness, her confused mind already registering that she was not where she had last been. Angelus must have got me. God, where am I?

She opened her eyes slowly, unwilling to face the thing that had haunted her nightmares for too long. She blinked in surprise. Angelus was keeping her in a place that looked an awful lot like her bedroom.

She shook her head at her own stupidity, grateful that no one had heard her thoughts. She threw back the covers and climbed out of bed, wondering who had moved her. The last thing she remembered was sitting at the kitchen bench.

Voices downstairs drew her towards the kitchen. Who was in her house? She smiled when she heard Xander’s voice. He must have moved her. Who was with him? Willow? She froze on the stairs when she heard the voice she’d been dreading. How had Angelus gotten into her house? Oh, no. Xander!

She jumped the rest of the stairs and hurtled into the kitchen. Xander and Angelus were in there, seated at the table, each with a cup of coffee. What amazed Buffy the most was they were sitting amicably together; Angelus wasn’t trying to break Xander’s neck. Still, she feared for her friend.

‘Get out,’ she gritted, advancing in the vampire’s direction. ‘Get out of my house. You are not welcome here. I don’t know how you got in but I won’t let you hurt any of us. Not again.’

Both men had risen from the table as she had spoken. Xander took a step towards her ‘Ah, Buff…’

‘Xander, move. I'll hold him off,’ she paused, taking in the confusing scene before her. ‘Wait, why aren’t you trying to kill each other?’

‘Buffy, calm down, take a deep breath. It’s not what you think.’

‘It’s not what I think?’ Buffy eyed the vampire warily. ‘Willow cursed him already?’

‘Ah, no…’ Xander shook his head. ‘It’s a little more complicated than that.’

Buffy frowned. ‘Huh? Make with the splainy, now.’

‘Okay, here’s the thing. I actually don’t understand it myself but Angel’s human. Willow, Anya and I found him this morning,’ Xander explained quickly. ‘He was being held prisoner in a cell by that vampire nest Giles made us take out, you know, the ones dressed like Dracula after a frat party.’

Buffy nodded. Giles had refused to let her take care of it, saying the nest was too easy, not a challenge for her. He’d made Willow and the others go instead. Her confused gaze shifted to a patiently waiting Angel. He stood calmly watching her, waiting to see what she would do.

‘Human?’ Buffy looked to Xander for confirmation of what she had heard. He nodded and her gaze ticked back to Angel. ‘But yesterday…’

‘Willow’s trying to figure out what happened. She left about fifteen minutes ago. She did that disappeary thingy she does when she knows stuff we don’t. I hate that,’ Xander grumbled.

Buffy was too busy staring at Angel. She still didn’t understand exactly what was going on but the “human” part was coming across loud and clear. ‘Are you sure he’s human?’

‘You think I’m stupid enough to take him at his word? Believe me, Buffy, if anyone was going to make sure this was the real thing, it would be me.’

Buffy had to give him that. Xander hated Angel with a passion. ‘Human?’ she whispered to herself. She felt, rather than saw, Angel move, a fact which she found disturbing and she glanced at him to see him take a step to the side to stand in the sunlight streaming in through the kitchen window.

Buffy felt the ability to speak escape her. The air fled from her lungs, leaving her feeling deflated but at the same time she felt hope rise within her, crushing all other feelings. Angel was human. Something she’d only dreamed about for years now.

Buffy couldn’t stop staring at him. He was bathed in the sunlight she had so longed to see him in. He looked as his name described him. The corners of her mouth lifted in a tentative smile. This all sounded too good to be true but, oh, how she wanted it to be true.

She sat down at the table, her legs no longer able to support her. The other two sat also.

‘You okay Buff?’ Xander was watching her with concerned eyes. ‘You’re not gonna pass out on us now, are you? Angel already carried your heavy ass up to your room once today.’

Buffy turned on him, eyes flashing. ‘Are you calling me fat?’

‘What? No!’ he denied, shaking his head. ‘That’s not what I was saying. Did you hear me say that because that’s not what I said!’

Buffy grinned and slapped him playfully. ‘Kidding.’ She turned to Angel as Xander calmed down. ‘How?’

‘I’m not entirely sure. I was walking down an alley, I think I was being stalked by something, I’m not sure, but I got hit from behind by something. When I woke up, I was human.’

Buffy thought about it. ‘So you were definitely still a vampire when you were knocked out?’

‘Yes, why do you ask?’

‘Where were you when it happened? When did it happen?’ she interrogated him. Maybe Giles would be able to help.

‘Ah,’ Angel stumbled. ‘I was at the Sunnydale dump,’ he quickly mumbled the last part but Buffy heard him clearly courtesy of her Slayer hearing.

‘You were where?’ she asked dangerously. ‘That is not fair, Angel! God, how many times do we have to do this?’

‘Buffy, I’m sorry-’ he began but she cut him off.

‘I am so sick of being treated like a child. What, you thought you’d come here, save my ass without even letting me know you were here?’

‘No! Buffy, that’s not what happened. Let me explain. I woke up in the Sunnydale dump. I don’t know how I got there but I didn’t come here to spy on you. I was attacked in an alley way in L.A. Not here.’

‘Oh,’ Buffy deflated, not knowing what to say. ‘Wait, the dump?’

‘Yes. I woke up there, as I said before.’

‘Man, everything’s happening at the dump lately,’ Buffy shared a look with Xander.

‘What does that mean?’ Angel asked not missing the look.

‘Well, Xander-’

‘Buffy, you here?’ Riley’s voice shouted from the front door.

Buffy swore. ‘Buffy,’ Xander admonished. ‘You kiss your mother with that mouth?’

‘My mother’s not here right now, Xander,’ she shot back as she rose from the table to meet Riley. She had to keep him out of the kitchen. She was too slow. Riley walked into the kitchen and Buffy closed her eyes in frustration. He always turned up at the wrong time.

‘Hey, Buffy,’ he bent to kiss her on the lips but she moved and he got her cheek instead. She felt guilty for doing this to him but she had come to realise that he was not what she wanted. The whole thing with Angel and Angelus had reminded her of that fact.

‘Riley,’ she said coolly and instantly regretted it. ‘What are you doing here?’ she asked him in a lighter tone.

‘I came to see how you were doing. Yesterday was tough on you,’ he said sweetly. ‘You looked really down when you left. Who was that guy?’ he asked and Buffy knew that was why he was really here.

‘Riley, that was-’ but she didn’t get to finish. Riley’s gaze fell upon the two men at the table. ‘What is he doing here?’ Riley pulled his gun from the holster at his hip. Buffy took a step towards him.

‘Riley,’ she reached out a hand. ‘Don’t-‘

‘You tried to kill her,’ Riley pushed Buffy gently to the side with his free hand. ‘I should kill you where you stand.’

‘I didn’t do anything,’ Angel denied. ‘That wasn’t me.’

‘Don’t lie to me, vampire,’ Riley brought his gun up, leveling it at the former vampire. Buffy didn’t stand for it. She stepped in front of her former lover.

‘Put the gun away, Riley,’ she warned him. ‘You’re not going to do anything.’

‘He’s evil, Buffy. Why is he in your kitchen?’ Riley was confused and Buffy didn’t blame him but he shouldn’t be here.

‘Riley, just put the gun away and go home. There is nothing you can do here,’ she tried to reason with him.

‘I’m not leaving you here alone with him,’ Riley said stubbornly.

‘What am I?’ Xander protested. ‘A smudge on the linoleum?’

Buffy felt her patience wearing thin. Why wouldn’t he just leave? She felt Angel approach them and she mentally pleaded with him to sit down. He could only make things worse.

‘You don’t know what you’re doing, boy,’ he growled. Buffy’s legs turned to jelly. He could still do that? ‘Why don’t you put that away before you hurt someone.’

Xander stepped forward. ‘Riley, man, what’s with the gun? We’re all friends here. Well, except that I don’t really like Deadboy,’ he amended.

Buffy turned on him. ‘Xander! Not helping.’

Riley kept the weapon pointed at Angel. Buffy kept herself in the way, confidant he wouldn’t shoot her. ‘Riley, please, he didn’t do anything; it’s not what you think.’

‘It’s exactly what I think Buffy. I won’t let him hurt you.’

Angel grabbed Buffy from behind and pushed her out of harms way into Xander’s arms. The boy caught her and held her tightly as Angel faced a gun toting Riley.

‘You will not be harming anyone,’ Angel said dangerously. Buffy watched with wide eyes. This was not going to end well.

‘I’ll shoot you before I let you hurt Buffy again.’

‘I never hurt her,’ Angel swore. ‘I never would.’

‘I don’t believe you.’ Riley adjusted his grip on the gun and Buffy saw his finger tighten against the trigger. Sweat beaded across his lip, a muscle at his temple seemed to throb. The slightest thing could set him off. ‘I saw you; I felt your fist split my lip.’

‘Riley,’ Buffy pleaded, not sure if he could hear her or not. It wasn’t him. It was a different him; his alter ego, Angelus. Angelus is evil, not Angel.’ She watched with a small amount of relief as his hold wavered. She was getting through to him.

‘Buffy!’ Willow burst though the door.

Bang!








For those of you who are interested, I have posted the first chapter of my HP crossover on www.fanfiction.net. It is titled: Somebody’s in trouble… but I may change it. Read it and if you like it, I’ll post it here. It has only been poster as a feeler. I want to know what people think before I continue.

Here’s the link: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2883365/1/

How was this chap? I’m not thrilled with it but it was okay. It started off badly but I think it recovered at the end. Leave me reviews please.


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