Fic info.
Confidante
Chapter Seven
"Buffy?"

Buffy looked up at the girl in front of her warily. "Yeah?" she asked hesitantly. She didn't know this girl's name, but had seen her around school.

"I'm Katheryn," she said, sitting next to her gingerly on the ugly red-orange couch. "I don't mean to bother you, but I need your help."

Buffy frowned slightly. "With what?"

Katheryn glanced around to make sure there was no one within earshot. "Um, well, first of all...I know you're the Slayer."

"Is there anyone who doesn't know?!" Buffy cried, then blushed as she noticed the attention she was drawing their way.

"Well, um...it was Angelus who told me." Katheryn watched as Buffy paled, then narrowed her eyes. "Last night, he sort of, well...attacked me."

Buffy's eyes widened in sympathy, then searched her neck.

"No, not there," Katheryn murmured. "I can show it to you, but not here."

Buffy nodded and stood, a hard expression on her face. "Come with me." She led her through the hallways to the library. "Giles!" she called as they entered. She turned back to Katheryn. "Here. Sit down. Did he take a lot?"

Katheryn blushed a little, shifting uncomfortably in the chair. The shifting was an act, but the blush wasn't. After all, she was about to tell her story that she'd come up with to his ex-girlfriend. "Uh...no. He...he was too busy...."

"Busy with what?" Buffy hissed as Giles came out of his office. She was afraid she knew. "Hold that thought." She explained to the librarian what Katheryn had told her so far, then introduced them.

"Do you mind, ah, showing us the bite mark, Katheryn?" Giles asked gently.

Katheryn paused a moment, then flipped the hem of her blouse up and carefully pulled the tape and gauze off her side. They both gasped when they saw the ugly purple-blue markings and lacerations. Buffy whimpered and backed up a step. "He...he did that to you?"

Katheryn nodded and replaced the bandages. "But he didn't take much. He was...uh...he tried to...you know...um...."

"Did Angel try to rape you?" Giles asked quietly.

She bit her lip and nodded. Buffy cursed and went into Giles' office, slamming the door. Giles stared off into the distance with a cold, hard expression Katheryn would never have expected from the Englishman.

"He didn't, though," she murmured, bringing his attention back to her. "You know, he didn't...succeed."

Giles' face softened and he sat next to her. "But you're afraid he'll try again?"

She nodded. "I...he just...." She sighed. "I don't know. He scared me. He said he'd just seen Buffy and...." She looked away. "Well, suffice it to say, he was an amorous little Vampire."

Giles' mouth tightened, but he smiled at her. "At least you're not too upset. That's what he likes you see. He's fixated on mind games."

"I'd gathered as much." She glanced at the closed office door. "Well, I'd better be going to class. Tell Buffy I'm sorry. She...she took it kind of hard." She paused. "Did they...go out?"

Giles nodded. "He used to be...different."

Katheryn nodded. "Well, I just thought I'd tell her. He seemed obsessed with her and I didn't want him to try...." Her eyes filled with tears. Lucky girl. You paid attention in acting class, she thought in a tone that wasn't anywhere near complimentary to herself. She felt horrible about this; obviously the girl was taking it to heart. But she had to do something and telling them the truth was out of the question.

She stood to leave and Giles stopped her with a gentle hand on her arm. "Katheryn, I suggest you stay inside tonight."

She shook her head. "No."

"Pardon? Why not?"

"I'm not going to let him lock me in my house." She grimaced at Giles' expression. "I know he's a danger to me, but if I hide tonight, I have to hide for the rest of my life or until he's dead." She bit her lip. "Maybe it sounds stupid to you, but I'm not going to let him beat me. I'm going to the Bronze tonight."

"But—"

"Mr. Giles, it's something that I have to do." And with that, she walked out of the library, hoping against hope that he'd tell Buffy and the girl would show up to protect her.

Now if she could just make sure Buffy wouldn't kill Angelus....