Disclaimer: Imitation is the highest form of flattery and I hold nothing but the utmost respect for the highly creative Joss Wheedon and the WB. What I own lives, and I am sure you don't want my cats, don't sue.

Buffy loved Friday nights, school was over for the weekend and she got to hangout with her friends. < If they ever show up, they are taking being 'fashionably late,' too far, that is so yesterday. I had that thing to do and thought I would be the last one here tonight. > Giles had kept her later than usual with some last minute injunctions about being careful while patrolling over the weekend. < As if I hadn't heard that one before. > She sighed and rested her chin on her hand as she stirred her soda with the straw. Patrolling had been more fun with Angel, but she would learn to do without. She looked at her finger where she had worn the ring Angel had given her.

She felt her spine stiffen < Angel, > she thought. "Angelus darling, Angelus, " he said, " What no ring? " She spun around and he appeared before her. She glanced down at his hand noting he still wore his ring, " You still belong to me Angel honey, one way or another you're mine. " She whispered back. He glanced at his ring and noted that it still had the heart pointing towards him. < Strange, why haven't I changed that? > he thought. Eyeing her coldly, " I have left a little surprise outside for you, " he said as he faded back into the shadows.

Buffy felt sudden concern for her absent friends. She stood up and took one last look around the club hoping she might have missed her friends in the crush of young people determined to have a good time. Anxiously she walked outside not having seen any of her slayerettes.

She glanced around the dimly lit street searching the shadows. < Great, the 'cryptic message guy' act of Angel's is now about him instead of other vamps. > She looked at the sidewalk and saw a gleaming red arrow. Kneeling she reluctantly stretched out her fingers to test the wetness. She brought her fingers to her nose and sighed with relief, < paint. > Looking in the direction of the arrow she could discern nothing wrong. " Well let's see where this leads. I was so hoping for a normal Friday night, hang out with my friends, annoy Cordelia, slay a few vamps, you know the usual, " she muttered to herself.

She headed in the direction indicated by the arrow. She walked a couple of blocks keeping her senses open and her eyes peeled, but she didn't see anything out of the ordinary. < Bother, > she thought, < probably a wild goose chase. > She neared the playground < might as well canvas the area and look for some slayees. >

Walking towards the monkey bars she saw someone hanging there. Approaching cautiously she recognized Xander as he hung there twisting in his bonds. Buffy ripped the tape from his mouth, " Ow! There goes my lips, couldn't you have been more gentle? " " Sorry, I guess you're OK, if you're complaining. " Buffy said as she untied him. " Well, there's logic for you," muttered Xander. " What happened? " " We were on our way to pick up Cordy, she wasn't ready yet, " " big surprise," Buffy interjected, "whatever, anyway we were on our way and your precious fang boy jumped us. " Buffy nodded, " where's Willow and Oz? " she asked looking around. " Well 'dead boy' said something about finding us in places that have something to do with us, which I don't get , what do I have to do with a jungle gym? " Buffy hid her smile < not 'jungle gym', Xander, 'Monkey' bars. > " OK what do we associate with Willow? Isn't she mostly with us? " asked Buffy. " Well yeah, but you know Willow, she's also Web girl, she's on the Web when she isn't with us, and come to think of it even when she is with us. " Xander reconsidered. " Oh great observation, oh observer of the obvious! " Buffy muttered. " Sites, which Web sites, where does she go? Think, Xander! " " Well ya know she loves the Slayer's FanFic Archive, and she seems to look at the morgue a lot these days, oh and the Funeral Home I think it's even book marked as a favorite site so she can do the research thing for Giles. " < Willow, buddy we got to get you a real life. > finished Xander.

" The funeral home is closer we'll look there first, come on. " Buffy said and they raced off to find their hacker friend, she of the flying fingers and Internet access.

Angel stepped out from the shadows under the tree where he had been standing, " I'll be damned, she's quick, got to give her that! " He smiled coldly < It's going to be fun breaking her! She needs a reminder of how vulnerable she is through her friends. >

Buffy crouched low in the bushes scanning the street to make sure no one saw them near the Funeral home. " OK Xander I think the coast is clear." She whispered, " Let's check it out. " She approached the back of the funeral home and tried the door. < Locked. > Twisting the door knob she forced the lock to give and she walked in. < Oooh Fun-ness, breaking into a funeral home on a Friday night, I'd rather be in a closet with Cordy, > thought Xander. Buffy saw a body lying on the table. < Ick! can't people put things away when they're done with them? I am so tired of seeing bodies. Ewww, did it just move? >

Buffy dropped to a crouch and froze as the lights suddenly flashed on. " Great, bright light boy, now everyone can see the light and they'll know someone's in here! " As Xander frowned and examined the toes of his shoes Buffy turned back towards the body. " Willow! " Buffy rushed to her side and carefully removed the tape from her mouth. " Wasn't that gentle with me. " Xander mumbled to himself. " Oh, Buffy thanks, " said Willow her eyes widening in surprise and pointing. " But, um bitey thing… a vampire… turn… now! " Buffy whirled around and a stake flew into her hand from her quick release wrist sheath. She plunged it into the vampire and watched as it turned to dust. " Teach you to sneak up on me, 'sucker'. "

Willow stood by Buffy, " I love it when you do that staking thing. He was giving me the creeps and I couldn't warn you… before, when I couldn't talk. " " So did my admirer leave any message? " Buffy looked sad for a moment , " Don't do that Buffy, He isn't the same anymore, he's not who he was. " Willow hurt for her friend, " He did say the chain was no stronger than it's weakest link, I didn't like the sound of that, " Buffy nodded, < The new Angel never figured out that my friends are my strength, not my weakness, why I keep fighting. > Willow interrupted her thoughts, " we have to find Oz, he was with us when this all happened. " " Right, let's get out of here before someone comes to see why the lights are on. " " Sorry this breaking and entering is new to me, " Xander said. Willow grabbed her back pack from the counter where the vampire had left it. Buffy lead the way out the back and down the alley.

Once out on the street she felt better, at least they couldn't be caught trespassing. " OK guys think, what's Angel up to where would he put Oz? " Buffy paced. Willow's eyes darted from side to side as if she were scanning a vast amount of data, " How did you find me? " " Well Angel told me about a 'clue,' he left outside the Bronz, the arrow pointed me to the park where I found Xander. He told Xander that each of you would be found near something that had to do with you. " " Why was Xander near the jungle gym? And what do I have to do with the Funeral home? " asked Willow. Xander paced annoyed with this thinking stuff, he wanted action. When Xander was out of earshot Buffy whispered, " Monkey bars, " then in a normal tone of voice, and trying to keep a straight face, "we haven't figured out Xander's yet, but you, " Willow chimed in still smiling about the monkey bars, " book marked the Funeral home for research. "

Angel, who was at that moment high up on a branch concealed by the shadows and listening, chuckled without sound, < Yes, dear heart, 'Monkey ' bars. I thought you would like that. > He smiled pleased with himself, he was enjoying this. Drusilla would enjoy this he thought, Spike would complain about 'cheesing,' off the slayer, he was too blunt, not enough finesse. He was glad to have his own place to retire for the day, if he had to listen to Spike all day it would drive him nuts.

" OK Willow, what comes to mind when you think of Oz? " Buffy asked. " That oak tree on campus by the bench where he plays his guitar. " answered Xander. " Willow glared at him, Buffy asked " spy much or anything? Who knew you would have so much time while dating Cordelia. " Xander looked at Buffy innocently, " What? I can't lookout for my best friend? He is a werewolf ya know. " " Humph, This from the guy who goes out with bugs, mummies, and , and ... Cordelia. " Willow shot back. " Whoa, maintain, " Buffy interrupted before things could heat up. " Well yeah that's where we hang. Did I say hang? I hope he isn't hanging…, not in the literal sense I mean…, I hope. "

Buffy raced towards the school. < Great, school, just where I wanted to spend the night with my friends, couldn't they have gotten stashed at a mall, a club, or a movie theater? No, they're at a park, a Funeral Home, and school. > She shuddered and frowned as she ran, < what is Angel up to anyway? This is sort of a sick Treasure Hunt with my friends as the clues/prizes. >

Part 2

*****

The Sunnydale High school stood like some long forgotten gothic behemoth in the night. During the day it looked more like a correctional facility for teenagers, the gate surrounding the school completed the image for Buffy.

They made their way towards the tree where Oz usually practiced. They looked around, " Well here's his guitar. " said Xander. " Willow shot him a look, " well you would know. " " Guys! " Buffy stepped between them. The guitar hung from a tree and seemed to be pointing towards the school. Willow looked towards the school. Moving suddenly she lay her back pack on the bench and took out her laptop. She brought up the blue prints of the school. Buffy standing behind her said, " and you have the blue prints of the school because....? " " Well, you never know what you might need. " replied Willow. Willow superimposed the tree and the direction the guitar was pointing onto the blue prints. " Just like I thought, it's pointing towards my locker. " Xander looked at her, "and you figured that how? " " Math, Xander, it does have it's uses, they didn't create it just to annoy you. " < She brought her laptop on a date, on a Friday night, yep Willow ol' buddy you need a life. >

Buffy led the way keeping low, she went to a side door and found it chained on the inside. < Swell, breaking into school is even better than just having to be here on a Friday night. I should kill Angel for this alone! > They saw a window that was open a crack. Buffy raised the window and held it so her friends could climb in. Buffy looked at Xander, " I get it, I get it, no lights, all right already, jeese. " Buffy smiled.

She peeked into the hallway to make sure there was no over zealous janitor burning the midnight oil. "OK it's clear. " Buffy signaled for her friends to join her by the door. Just as Buffy was about to step into the hallway she heard a noise and stopped. Xander and Willow had been following closely behind her and didn't see her stop and ran into her back. Buffy shot them a look. " Sorry, " the murmured. "It's Oz that noise is coming from my locker. " Willow whispered. Without caution she ran to her locker and spun the combination. She practically ripped the door off it's hinges in her eagerness to see Oz.

" Hey, " he smiled serenely, " Lot's of room in here, thanks for being organized. I'd hate to have been crammed into a messy locker." Willow smiled, he always seemed so calm and to say the right things. Willow paled as she saw the picture of him she had lifted from the school records and pasted in her locker. Exiting the locker without looking at the picture, he had been touched to find it there, he closed the door to Willow's relief. < Aah, it feels good to stretch again. Hmm, better get her a better picture for her locker I'm tired of looking at that one; and who knows I might end up there again maybe this is what they do for fun on a Friday night. > he thought and smiled at Willow.

Buffy looked down the hall to make sure there was no one coming and noticed the Library lights on. " Looks like Giles is still here. " " Buffy why is he here? Didn't Giles say something about a book signing this weekend? This is the first time he seemed interested in anything since Ms. Calendar died. " Willow asked with a worried tone in her voice. Buffy frowned, if it wasn't directly slayer related she didn't listen much, well, she didn't listen that much if it was either. She felt bad that she hadn't noticed, she had been rather preoccupied with Angel haunting her. " Better go check it out. Come on. "

They burst into the library, something they surely wouldn't have done if there had been witnesses, " Giles! " they all cried. He was laying stretched out on the floor under a pile of books. Buffy froze she couldn't move. Willow walked slowly up to the Librarian and placed her fingers on his neck to check for a pulse. " Buffy, he's breathing, he's alive. " Buffy relaxed she hadn't realized she had been holding her breath. She helped Willow and Xander move him to a chair in his office. " Giles, " Buffy called softly. He stirred, " Buffy, shouldn't you be in class? " he said. " Giles it's Friday night I should be out at the Bronz. " she replied. " Don't you mean out patrolling? " He smiled at his wayward charge. She smiled at him, "Yeah, that's it. " "Angel was here wasn't he? " Xander asked. " I'm afraid that ah, I don't, ah remember. " Giles rubbed his head where a bruise was beginning to show. He reached for his pocket handkerchief and pulled out a piece of paper that had taken it's place. Curious he opened it up. " Oh very funny, where's my handkerchief? " Buffy took the note from him.

April Fools

Was all the note said. Buffy handed the note to the others. " Angel should really grow up. For a 241 year old he is pretty immature. " said Xander. " He kept my handkerchief. My mother gave me that handkerchief. " Complained Giles. They all looked at him. " OK I'm fine, I do believe that I can catch the rest of the book signing. Why don't you kids finish out your evening? " You're sure you're OK? " Buffy asked. " Oh, um, yes, fine, thank you, now go on. "

They walked out of the school by a side door and stood on the side walk. " I still have to go pick up Cordy..." Xander said, " meet you guys at the Bronz? " Willow and Oz nodded. " I have something to do, but I'll meet up with you guys later. " Buffy said. " You're gonna be OK? " asked Willow. "Yeah, just something I gotta do. " replied Buffy walking off towards the Cemetery.

Angel stepped out from the deep shadows of a near by tree. < A good night's work. She still lives, but she will be looking over her shoulder now. > he thought smugly. Time to go home and change before dinner. Now that the fun was over it was time for his real work to begin. He might take Dru out for a bite, Spike was still in his wheel chair and would have to stay home, which was fine with him, because that gave him some time alone with Dru. He walked off whistling softly.

Buffy had taken an alternate route to Angel's apartment and was standing down the hall around the corner. She could hear him approaching. "Ahhh, " he sighed, " home sweet home. " He opened the door and fell crashing back into the hallway wall clawing at his watering eyes and closing throat. Gasping he raced past Buffy hardly even noticing her. She could detect the pungent odor of Garlic wafting towards her. "April Fools Angel dear. " she laughed. She smiled widely, < with the windows boarded up, it will take weeks for the smell of that Garlic to fade, if even then. > It had been worth her allowance. < I am not the only one vulnerable Angel dear. > She walked off towards the Bronz to join her friends.

Angel could hear her laughter as he ran from the building, < Damn, now I am going to have to stay with Spike and Dru till that smell dissipates. > he swore.

Angel sat in the warehouse that Spike and Dru called home. He stared at the Cladaugh ring with the heart still pointing towards him and heard her laughter loudly and grating in his mind joining Spike's howling laughter from the next room. < I shouldn't have told Spike about the Garlic. > he sighed. It was going to be a long two weeks.

The End

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