Angel’s Apartment:
It was around 5:00pm when Buffy knocked on Angel’s door. Angel answered. “Buffy, it’s a little early isn’t it.”
Buffy entered the apartment without waiting for an invitation. “Tell me about Cassandra.” She demanded.
Angel sighed as he shut the door. “Buffy, I was meaning to talk to you about her.”
“You two were lovers.” Said Buffy in a tone that dared Angel to deny it.
“How do you know?” Asked Angel calmly.
“Old watcher’s diaries.” Buffy sat down on Angel’s couch. “Tell me about her.”
“Yes, we were together for many years.” Angel sat down next to Buffy. “I don’t know if you could call us lovers. We were soulless killers, we didn’t love anything. We didn’t have what you would call a ‘healthy relationship.’”
“So, what was your relationship with her like? I have a right to know.”
“I sired her. The relationship was mostly demonic lust. Over the years we formed sort of a partnership.” Angel stated with regret in his voice.
“So, why did you two split?” Asked Buffy.
“Darla returned, and I left with her.” Angel said in a matter-of-fact tone.
“Cassandra visited me on patrol last night. She warned me about you. Why would she do that? Is this some sort of game?”
“Buffy, I talked to Cassandra last night. A lot has changed. She is like me, she has a soul.”
“Oh really.” Buffy could not believe what she was hearing. “She has a soul. I didn’t know that a vampire with a soul is a very common thing.” Buffy said sarcastically.
“Buffy, I don’t know how to explain it. She is different. She is not the same person that she used to be.”
Buffy rolled her eyes. “She’s probably just a really good actress.”
“No, this isn’t a trick. She has no reason to lie to me and pretend that she has a soul. I know this is hard to explain, but she is sincere. You have to trust me.”
“Angel, she has killed four slayers in the past! I’m probably next on her list!” Yelled Buffy.
Angel grabbed Buffy’s hand to calm her. “Before I had a soul, I did some horrible things. She did horrible things as well. Killing Slayers was one of them. But, she is different now. Buffy, she won’t be in town for very long. Don’t attack her. Please, I’m asking you to trust me.” Pleaded Angel.
Buffy got up and faced the wall. She didn’t want to look into Angel’s searching eyes. “I hope you’re right Angel. I hope that she is not just fooling you.” Buffy looked at her watch. “Angel, I got to go.”
“Do you trust me?” Asked Angel.
Buffy turned around to look at him. “Yes, I trust your judgment.”
With that, Buffy left and started walking home. All she could think about was this woman. This beautiful woman that used to be incredibly close to Angel. Buffy could not help but feel jealous of her. This woman was now back in Angel’s life. She is like him now, a vampire with a soul. Cassandra has a lot more in common with Angel than she does. Buffy hoped that she would leave town soon. She knew that it was shallow to feel this way; but she could not help it.
* * *
The Bronze:
Buffy, Willow, and Xander were sitting in the crowded club listening to the band and hanging out. The conversation turned to the new vampire in town. “So, she’s like Angel? She has a soul?” Asked Willow.
“Yeah, according to Angel. He talked to her last night.” Answered Buffy.
Xander was skeptical about this new information. “Are you sure that she is not just tricking him?”
Buffy rolled her eyes. “Well, I asked him that. He was sure that she wasn’t. He trusts her.”
“Do you trust his judgment?” Willow asked.
Buffy paused and sipped her drink. She wanted to think about her answer. “I told him that I did. I’m not sure though. I’m not going to attack her, but I will be ready if she attacks me.” Buffy looked up from her drink and noticed someone at the bar. “Speak of the vampire.”
Xander and Willow glanced up to where Buffy was looking. “Is that her?” Asked Willow.
“Yes,” answered Buffy in a low tone.
Xander’s eyes looked like they were about to pop out of his head. “Wow, would you look at her.”
Buffy sighed. “God Xander, she’s not that pretty.”
“I beg to differ Buffy.” Buffy gave Xander a menacing look. “But, not as pretty as you, of course.” Said Xander, trying to cover himself.
“I wonder what she’s doing here?” Willow wondered out loud. “Isn’t that the manager that she’s talking to?” As soon as Willow said that, Cassandra turned around and noticed the trio looking at her. “Oh God! She saw us.” Willow was starting to panic. The trio quickly turned around and pretended that they were not looking at her.
* * *
The other side of The Bronze:
Cassandra noticed that one of the three that was staring at her was the Slayer. She almost laughed out loud when she saw them quickly look away. [ No points for discretion Slayer. ] Cassandra turned back to the man she was talking to.
“Hey Mike, who are they?” She asked while discretely gesturing to Buffy, Willow, and Xander.
Mike glanced over there, and shrugged. “Just some kids who come in here often. Why?”
Cassandra smiled. “No reason, really.” [ So, this Slayer has a social life. That’s interesting. A social life isn’t usually part of a Slayer’s lifestyle. ] Cassandra noticed that Buffy’s two friends were getting up to leave. [ I need to the Slayer tonight. I want this cleared up. I wonder what Angelus...no, Angel...Damn, that’s hard to get used to...has told her. I doubt that she trusts him completely. She’s a Slayer, they don’t trust anyone completely. Especially a vampire, soul or no soul. ]
As soon as Buffy’s friends left, Cassandra made her way over to Buffy’s table. “Mind if I join you?”
Buffy glared at the other woman. “Sure, why not?”
Cassandra sat down across from Buffy. “I assume Angel has talked to you about me.”
“Yes, he has.”
“But, you don’t fully believe it. Is that right?” Asked Cassandra with a smile on her face.
“I don’t know what to believe. I trust Angel, but I don’t trust you.”
Cassandra nodded her head in understanding. “You’re the Slayer. You’re not supposed to trust vampires.”
“You should know. You’ve killed four of them.” Buffy shot across the table. “I guess when you kill someone, you learn a lot about them.”
Cassandra’s smile faded quickly. “I see the Council of Watchers is still keeping accurate records.” Cassandra then looked away for a moment, trying to figure out what to say. She then turned back to Buffy and looked her straight in the eyes. “Yes, I did horrible things before I got my soul back. I won’t sit here and pretend that they didn’t happen. Buffy, I don’t need your forgiveness. I just need to know that you won’t try to stake me. That’s all. I’m not looking for atonement, because I know that I will never get it.”
Buffy was stunned at the sincerity of her words. “You are either telling me the truth. Or, you’re one hell of a liar. I’m not sure which yet.” Buffy leaned in closer to Cassandra in a threatening gesture. “If you try anything, anything at all, you will regret it. If I suspect anything, anything at all, consider yourself dust.”
Cassandra nodded her head. [ This Slayer has got some spunk. I like that. ] “Well Buffy, I think on that note I will take my leave.” Cassandra noticed Buffy getting out money to pay for her drinks. “No need for that. You and your friends’ drinks are on the house.”
Buffy snorted. “What, do you own the place of something?”
Cassandra smiled. “Yes, I do.” She then turned to leave, leaving a very confused Buffy.
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