Disclaimer: Buffy The Vampire Slayer and related characters are owned by Joss Whedon, WB and Mutant Enemy. I can only take credit for the new main characters I have created and various other vampire minions which may wander into my stories. I created them, so they are mine. Don't sue as this is just pure fanfic.
*****Chapter One - Heartache*****
Cordelia sat alone in the UC Sunnydale library, idly reading a magazine. Giles, who had invited himself there to compare the book collection…well, that’s what he told the librarian…was reading a book about soul transference. Both he and Cordelia sat at the same table. The rest of the gang strolled in.
‘Hey Giles, hey Cordy.’ Said Buffy cheerily.
‘Hmm?’ Said Giles, coming back to earth.
‘Mmm.’ Muttered Cordelia, not really hearing her.
‘Wow, what a welcome.’ Said Xander.
‘Oh, sorry, we’re doing important research.’ Said Giles, loudly so that the librarian overheard. He winked at Buffy and walked over to her. ‘I’m just keeping an eye on Cordelia.’ He whispered.
‘Yeah,’ Said Xander, eyeing Cordelia’s copy of Cosmopolitan that she was reading, not appearing to have heard Giles. ‘Look’s like it.’
‘She’s not really reading that.’ Giles continued to whisper. ‘She’s just thinking about Pierce again.’
‘Pierce?’ Asked Xander, a little too loudly.
‘Pierce?’ Said Cordelia, sitting up and snapping to attention. ‘What was that about Pierce?’
‘Oh, it was um…I was thinking of erm…piercing my ear…maybe.’ Xander covered.
‘Oh, right.’ Cordelia whispered quietly. Buffy and Xander exchanged looks; then Willow decided to change the subject
‘So, are we going to the Bronze tonight. I figure Buffy can take the night off, vampire activity has been a little low since Pier…since the…erm…the Librarian stopped looking at us.’ I have no idea what I’m saying!
‘The Librarian isn’t a vampire…’ Xander began, but Willow elbowed him and looked at Cordelia. ‘…on blood, she just sucks noise from study hall, I mean, in the hypothetical sense…not literally…okay, shutting up now.’ Oz nodded in agreement at him. The Librarian glanced at them curiously, hearing herself mentioned in the conversation.
‘Okay then, let’s Bronze it tonight. I feel adventurous.’ Said Buffy. ‘We can make an outing of it, invite everyone…how about you Cordy?’ She smiled over at her encouragingly.
‘Um, no, I think I’ll just stay in tonight. Thanks anyway guys.’ She stood up and walked off.
**********
That night Blade hunted, he chose the ripe neck of a young woman, dragging her down a dark alleyway to her death. As usual, Pierce played no part in it; he just visited the blood bank for some drive-through…for once Quill accompanied him, saying that she didn’t feel like waiting in the motel that night. But pierce guessed she was just avoiding Blade’s smiling, one-eyed face.
The Scooby Gang were all at the Bronze, except Cordelia, she was far too depressed to go. Eve was talking to Giles at the bar; they were having a discussion about witchcraft and its rituals.
‘Of course, you can wear a robe for rituals. Although, it is better to be naked, especially when celebrating a solstice…’
‘Naked?’ Giles was a little shocked.
‘Well, yes. It’s the best way to take in nature’s wonders and communicate with the earth…’
‘Well surely you can do that with some clothes on.’
‘What’s the problem, I’m sure you’d look great in your birthday suit.’ She laughed.
‘Me…I…’
‘Sure, you could be considered as a high priest, considering your knowledge of witchcraft. Did you know that it’s often a tradition for the High Priest and High Priestess to consecrate the ritual with a bodily union…’
‘Evelyn, this is very inappropriate…’
‘Giles, I was only joking.’ She smiled, Giles still stuttered on. For some reason, Giles was still extremely nervous in Eve’s presence. Perhaps the mere fact that he found himself attracted to a vampire scared him and went against every moral bone in his body. Or maybe it was the fact that he was completely in love with her, but she seemed to only flirt with him. But everyday he grew more and more certain that she liked him. Yet he still found himself hopelessly embarrassed and prudish.
‘…I don’t want to hear any more of this nonsense…’
‘Are you saying that witchcraft is nonsense?’ She sounded offended. He had just blown his chance.
‘Well, I wasn’t really…I was just…’
‘You either were, or you weren’t.’ She was obviously growing impatient with him.
‘I wasn’t. I just find this idea of naked rituals and bodily unions to be totally inappropriate.’
‘Oh for goodness sake Rupert, stop being so bloody English.’
‘What…? But you’re English too.’
‘Irish and dead actually.’ She replied shortly and turned to walk off.
‘Oh.’ Was all Giles could manage.
Buffy and Angel were sharing a heated conversation when Eve walked past them without a word; she could see that they were far too deeply involved in their argument. It seemed that Angel just couldn’t let go of Buffy, and blamed his vampirism for their break up.
‘All I’m saying is, if it came down to a life or death situation, and I didn’t have a soul, would you kill me before I killed you? After everything we had?’ He asked.
‘Angel, can we not have this conversation please.’
‘Why not, are you scared to tell me you’d kill me?’
‘No, I just…’
‘So, you would kill me?’
‘I never said that…’
‘Well, you’ve sent me to hell before, what’s to stop you doing it again?’
‘Oh God, why do you have to keep bringing that up. Can’t you just drop it, I’ve apologised at least a hundred times! And you know what? We’re not even together anymore!’ She walked off to the bar and began talking to Giles. Leaving Angel standing alone and looking frustrated. It was as if he thought that her inability to kill him would someone how weaken her decision to break things off. He looked across the dancefloor and instantly spied a new way to get Buffy’s attention.
Angel went to where Esme and Xander were dancing and asked to cut in. Xander reluctantly let him. He danced closely with Esme, and sensing that Xander and Buffy were both watching he ran his hands up and down her back suggestively. Esme became uncomfortable and Xander glared at him from across the dance floor. Then he came close to kissing her neck, looking at Buffy the whole time, Esme pushed him away from her, but he continued. It was clear that Esme didn’t want to throw him through the wall and cause a scene, although she certainly could have, so Xander placed a hand on his shoulder.
‘Hey dead-boy, what the hell do you think you’re doing?’ At that point Buffy walked out, muttering about how pathetic he was.
‘What does it look like?’ He said, with a trace of the Angelus arrogance to his voice.
‘It looks like your trying to make Buffy jealous by using Es, and I don’t like it.’
‘Well, I like it just fine.’ He put his arm around Esme again. She pushed him away just as Xander pulled on his shoulder. Angel turned round and thumped Xander in the chest.
Xander fell backwards over a nearby table, and Esme rushed to his side.
‘What the hell is your problem? Buffy and I found our closure, it’s about time you got some too!’ She added a few curses as she started to pull Xander to his feet, but they were almost inaudible.
Angel stormed furiously over to where Eli was sitting while Esme helped Xander out the door.
Oz and Willow just watched the scene as Angel shouted angrily at Eli and stormed out.
‘You know what?’ Said Willow. ‘If this was a rumble, the body count would be huge.’
‘Yup, another happy night at the Bronze I guess.’
‘Amen.’ They looked at each other quizzically for a moment. ‘Did I really just say that?’
**********
The next day, in the college cafeteria, everyone sat at separate tables. Xander stood alone by the drink’s machine. Buffy sat in the corner and Cordelia was by the window, staring dreamily into nothing. Willow and Oz walked in, unsure where to sit, Willow decided to sit with Buffy and Oz sat with Xander.
‘How’s the chest man? That guy really knocked the wind out of you.’
‘Well, all I can say is, I’m still breathing…barely.’
‘Dude.’
‘Oh yeah.’
Over on Buffy and Willows table Willow was listening to Buffy moaning about Angel’s petty behaviour.
‘I just can’t believe what he did, I mean trying to make me jealous. Using Esme like that.’
‘Mmm, bad Angel.’ Willow played with one of her fries, she was bored senseless.
‘I can’t believe he hit Xander.’ She continued, not noticing Willows sarcasm.
‘Yeah, that was harsh. Did you see Eve and Giles argue?’ Willow attempted to change the topic of conversation.
‘I mean what’s the guy’s problem, he’s totally unreasonable…’
‘I guess not.’ Willow murmured. ‘See you later then!’ She said, smiling widely, grabbing her lunch and rushing out.
‘Yeah.’ Buffy mumbled in reply, digging distractedly at her potato salad with her fork.
Oz decided to make a discreet exit and finish his lunch outside with Willow. They found an empty bench and sat down to discuss the situation.
‘Well, I think we should try and get them all to the Bronze tonight.’ She said.
‘Yeah, Cordelia too. I’ll talk to Xander, maybe call Eve and Eli…oh, and Giles.’
‘Okay, I’ll talk to Giles if you want, then I’ll track down Esme and Buffy, and I’ll try and convince Cordelia. Someone need to find Angel too.’ Oz just stared an made a small expression with his eyebrows. ‘Ok, me then.’
‘Cool, see you tonight.’
**********
‘So, Angel definitely won’t be there?’ Asked Xander.
‘Nope, neither will Buffy, She’s got some slayage to do. So, see you there?’ Said Oz.
‘Yeah, I guess.’
**********
‘Come on, it’ll be great, a real girls night. No Angel, or Xander.’ Said Willow.
‘Well, I guess so.’ Said Buffy.
‘Great, tonight at eight?’
‘Sure.’
**********
‘Come on Esme, just you, Xander, Oz and me. Like a double date, Xander can walk you there. What do you say?’ Asked Willow over the phone.
‘Okay then, around eight.’
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