TITLE: Red Letters
AUTHOR: Rainie & Ophelia
EMAIL: ophelia_rd@yahoo.com, rainee_ls@yahoo.com.au
DISCLAIMER: Joss, not I.
DISTRIBUTION: Let me know where it's going
CATEGORY:
RATING: M
PART: 1/
FEEDBACK: Yes please!!!
VISIT ME: http://www.oocities.org/dra_gon_fly_er/
Red Letters 2
Craning their heads to get a better view of what was inside of Slayerette's HQ, Angelus, accompanied by Drusilla and half a dozen of minions took up position in front of the library. So far there was no sign of the slayer or Angelus' lost little lamb.
In a sudden fit of anger Drusilla not too gently kicked the back door of one of the parking cars.
"Any suggestions, naugtie?" A bad smirk on his face, Angelus turned to stare at his childe. Oh, he so much loved teasing her, especially when it came to William - his batty little fuck. She could be sooo obsessive as far as toyboy was concerned. It just drove her nuts, the ever so slightest interest he took in the git, no matter if he simply addressed him or might actually had a go on him. She was just so easily to ruffle.
Not that he cared. Neither of them was of his concern.
Sure, they were good fucks but apart from that...
Oh well, Drusilla sure was amusing and for some silly reason he really fancied the wicked bitch. But Willy-boy... if not for his visions, he would have seen for him discharged a long time ago.
He was a mistake, a failure from the very beginning.
Far too soft, too weak, too innocent. And even worse all those faulty attitudes seemed to increase since he'd actually been turned. He silently cursed the idiot of a fledgling who'd so carelessly created the creature.
There just seemed to be nothing worth being called a demon in this boy.
The kid was a twit.
Clairvoyant, but a twit nonetheless.
Later, back home, he'd surely give him to the minions or even better leave him with Drusilla for a couple of nights. His girl would be so delighted to get her hand on him.
"Eh, Angelus..."
**Thinking of the devil.** He thought when the vampiress' cough interrupted his line of thoughts.
He followed her look and immediately found himself face to face with a certain blond slayer.
An undoubtedly ticked slayer.
***
The Summer's residence, little before the vampire's encounter.
"You really shouldn't go there, Buffy," the dark-haired vampire said, the moment she hung up the phone. "They'll be coming for me..."
His voice tailed off when he realised the angry gleam in the slayer's green eyes.
"Didn't anybody ever tell you not to listen to other people's telephone calls?" The little girl snapped angrily. The dark-haired man instinctively stepped back.
For the longest of moments they silently stared.
"But I...," William finally tried to explain, only to trail off mid sentence. "...never mind... you wouldn't believe me anyway..."
Although the words had been spoken utterly gentle Buffy felt like she'd been slapped in the face.
What was it about this vampire?
For once he sounded so sincere and the hurt in his eyes seemed so real...
It almost made her feel guilty about her job. Abruptly she turned away.
"What makes you think Angelus and his goons would be out there for you?" She inquired spinning back as abruptly as she'd turned away one second before.
Their eyes met and once again they either got caught in the moment.
Her heartbeat quickened and she had to lean against the nearest wall to prevent herself from tripping over her feet. The brown-haired vampire must have experienced similar emotions, as for all of a sudden he started to shiver.
"William?" Buffy asked in most tentative a voice.
But instead of an answer the boy sat down on the floor burying his face in his hands.
"You're okay?" The girl made a second attempt, a worried eye on the shaking figure.
When there still was no reply she ever so slowly sat next to the boy.
"Will?" She couldn't help but tussle his brown curls.
"Go away!" The obvious fear in his voice made her freeze on spot.
There was something terribly weird about this man.
Never before had she encountered a vampire acting anything near the one by her side.
Very slowly, as not to scare him, she pulled back her hand.
For a couple of minutes they remained still.
Buffy too busy to watch over the quivering figure and William too wrapped up to even notice her presence.
"Buffy," her finally whispered after a sheer endless period of silence. "You must take me back."
If Buffy had thought she'd felt uncomfortable before it was nothing compared to what she felt the moment the words were out.
"Their punishment won't be that bad, if I am to return on my own..."
Although William could feel her eyes drill into him, he stubbornly refused to look up.
It wasn't as so the really wanted to return, but having lived with his evil masters for more than one lifetime...
He was scared.
He squeezed his eyes shut to hold back the tears threatening to fall.
"Will?"
His head shot up, when a gentle little finger traced a dominant blue vein up along his forearm.
"Why?"
He felt the compassion and honesty behind the single syllable and answered immediately and without hesitation.
"I am hungry."
***
"Where's is he, bitch?"
Angelus snarled in his best big-bad-vampire-manner at the petite blond blocking their way.
God, how much he hated that girl - the slayer!
He had stopped counting how many of his carefully laid out plans she had ruined already.
He ground his teeth, when the stupid whore just looked at him with her I-am--not-impressed-face.
He just couldn't believe it.
Even being surrounded by ten vamped out demons couldn't wipe the dirty little smirk off her lips.
In a sudden fit of anger Angelus aimed for her lower abdomen, but was blocked with an easiness that made him roar in frustration. In a spontaneous fit of wrath the massive man vamped out.
"I shall kill you - both!!!" He growled the very moment two of his minions turned into a cloud of dust.
"You said?" The tiny girl chided, seemingly producing a new set of stakes out of thin air, while at the same time she kicked a rather surprised Drusilla square in the face.
The brunette stumbled into one of their underlings but didn't go down.
In an instant the slayer was cornered by an vicious mob of vampires breathing flames.
"Well, so much for this, bitch!" Angelus snarled, his booted foot once more aiming for the blonde's abdomen.
The girl doubled over without as much as a whimper.
**That was easy!** The huge man triumphed, a dirty grin on his face. **Too easy?**
Angelus head shot up in order to scan the area.
**Ho, ho, wait a minute...**
Almost immediately his yellow eyes came face to face with the barrels of several oversized squint guns.
"Dru!!!"
He managed to grab the girl by her wrist just before floods of holy water went down where she had stood seconds ago.
Most of the minions, however...
Oh well, they were dispensable!
With an iron grip around his childe's forearm the dark-haired vampire took off.
***
"This was pretty efficient," Buffy smiled, when she joined the rest of the slayerettes inside of the library.
"Oh yeah," Xander chided immediately. "Sitting on your butt with the rest of us scaring the baddies... hey!!!"
He exclaimed defensively when Willow not too gently ellbowed him in the ribs.
"Don't listen to him, Buff," she smiled. "I think you made a wonderful victim... eh bait."
The three friends burst into a fit of giggles that wouldn't stop until Giles demonstratively cleared his throat.
"Eh, Buffy...," he stuttered uncomfortably. "You may want to have a look at your guest."
The very second, the teenager fell silent, craning her neck to get a better view of their vampire captive securely locked away.
"How long's he like this?" The slayer inquired, all laughter dying away.
She felt like crying by the look of the solemn figure apathetically crouching in the far corner of the heavy steel cage, all the while drawing blood from his wrist.
"William?" The petite blonde was inside the cage before her friends had a chance to interfere. "Shush, sweetheart," she cooed, slipping behind the boy. "You shouldn't do this," her voice wasn't but a whisper when she pulled him into a tight embrace.
"Buffy!!!" Her watcher exclaimed when he witnessed his slayer reaching and actually pulling away the vampire's bleeding wrist.
He nearly died again, witnessing the hint of yellow which all of a sudden a flashed up in the dark-haired man's eyes.
But much to his surprise, the ridges never formed, and apart from the fangs his face remained human. Even weirder, once recognizing the slayer he actually seemed to lean into her touch, almost as seeking comfort in the tiny girl's embrace.
They were so beautiful to look at, Giles practically felt like a voyeur in his very own library.
There was such a strong devotion between them, it made him feel more than uncomfortable.
One look at Xander and Willow told him he wasn't the only one feeling awkward.
However, neither one seemed to be able to lower their eyes.
For one short moment the world came to a halt, at least as far as the five people inside the library were concerned.
"Slayer," when the dark-haired vampire finally spoke up, they all startled in surprise.
"Buffy," the handsome creature whispered. "I need to eat."
And after another few seconds of silence. "You must let me go."
***
"Buffy," a most reluctant Giles quietly approached the still couple sitting in the middle of the strong metal cage. "I b-b-brought you, eh… William some eh blood…"
Shifting uncomfortably, he quickly placed the styrofoam container within the vampire's reach.
"Thank you, Sir."
"You'r welcome."
Their eyes met, and the watcher couldn't but shudder because of the hurt in the boy's incredibly blue eyes.
***
"The stupid bitch is so dead!!!" Angelus growled, while at the same time quite literally waring a hole in the carpet in the small of their crypt. "You hear me, Drusilla?"
He abruptly spun around in order to reassure his childe's attentino.
"I'll personally see for her heart to…"
"Why do you think she did it?" The brunette vampiress quickly interrupted making sure her wrathing sire didn't too much carried away.
For a little while they remained in silence. Angelus chewing his bottom lip and Drusilla cooling her voilet yaw with an ice pack. For such a skinny little thing the slayer really had a vicious kick.
"He's a vampire," she muttered to herself. "A batty little tosser, but a vampire nonetheless."
They exchanged another quizzling look, one question written all across their faces.
Why would a slayer voluntarily stand before a vampire?
***
"O-o-okay, William…" The watcher tried to attracked the young man's attention. "Since y-y-you are obviously feeling better now…"
His nose crinkled in disgust, when for one second his gaze shifted to the now empty container sitting on his desk.
"What Giles here is trying to say," he was crudely cut off by Xander. "Is; why didn't you go grr on her," he shot a pointed look at Buffy. "In the first place?" Smart-ass-smile firmly in place, the boy turned to the librarian. "See, that's how ya do it!"
Ignoring the girls groans, he leaned against the counter, waiting.
Several minutes passed by.
"William?" Willow carfully gave it a second go, when it was obvious, the dark-haired man didn't plan to react to Xander or Giles any time soon. However, again the statue-like vampire didn't as much as batting one lash. He seemed to have totally tuned out his surroundings, his incredibly blue eyes solemnly focusing on Buffy.
"Buffy," when all their combined attempts failed Giles pointedly gestured to the slayer to take over.
Like William, the girl hadn't said a word since he had returned with the blood.
Although just like her apathic friend she wouldn't say a word, she at least got up to sit next to the silent young man. Immediately the vampire reached out for her hand and just as immediately their fingers entwined.
"What is it, Will?" She asked, her voice little but a whisper. "Why are you so afraid?"
Still, the lone figure refused to speak up, although the single blood tear saying more than a thousand words.
***
London, England
December 1773
For hours he'd been digging through rubbish.
Not that there was anything edible to be found - maybe a crust of bread, if he was lucky.
His fingers were numb, just as the rest of his body.
The dirty rags, that once had been a proper suit, hang now loose and tattered around the small of his frame.
The cloth he had been using to wrap around his feet had been stolen from him several days ago.
Teeth clattering he spat out the piece of wood he had mistaken for bread.
He often wondered, why he - unlike his follow street kids - didn't just go for an easy kill.
It wasn't as if he didn't know his way round a fight, on the contrary.
It just… the thought of liberally ending a person's life… for something as simple as a pair of shoes, or trousers, or food… made him shiver - shiver in disgust of what he'd might be likely to become…
Shaking from cold as well as from lack of food, he tumbled towards the old crypt he had made himself home.
Given, he still felt rather uncomfortable about his new housing, but it was warm and dry and biggest plus was none of his fellow home-broken drunks ever dared to come after him over there.
As fast as his numb feed would allow, he mad his way through the rows of neatly arranged graves.
"Sorry, lad," he mumbled, when he tripped over the lifeless body lying face down on the floor.
**What is it about cemeteries?** he thought by himself, when all of a sudden an iron fist clamping down on his ankle forced him to an abrupt halt.
"Listen, lad, I told you, I'm…" His voice trailed off, when he came face to face with the distorted visage of the creature kneeling on the floor. Without second thought he punshed it in the yaws, trying to make an escape.
However, with little but no success.
"Bloody hell," he gasped, giving chase as fast and far as possibly could.
Much to his surprise, the snarling beast had him tackled in less than a second.
He howled in pain when the massive thing quite literally jumped his bones, forcing whatever air there was left out of his loungs. He tried to fight back the best that he could - pushing, kicking, head-butting…
In vain, the animal-like creature wouldn't let go.
When it clamped its big fleshy hand down on the boy's mouth and chin forcing his head to the right, he instinctively knew he wouldn't live to see the next morning. For one moment he lay perfectly still, taking in the predator's yellow eyes and fangs.
Then all of a sudden it all came to him.
**Vampire!!!**
He thought, recalling ancient legends and myhts.
He screamed, when with a roar the demon sunk his fangs into his neck.
In a final attempt to braek free, he viciously bit down on the massive cold hand still covering his mouth.
The beast never flinched, even when he finally drew blood.
The boy gave up.
There was no use in fighting the inevitable. Letting go of the demon's big hand, he lay still and simply concentrated on his slowly slackening heartbeat.
***
"He was a fledgling," William explained. "Took off for good."
The four people inside the library blankly stared at the dark-haired vampire, even Xander didn't seemed to dare cracking one of his usual jokes.
Vampire or not, they all felt for the unfortunate young man holding on to the slayer like a lifeline.
Once more Giles' watcher-senses rebelled over the incredibly strong bond the two of them apparently had formed. For some strange reason, the dark-haired vampire seemed to be rather comfortable around his slayer.
**Well, definitely something worth looking into.**
He decided, his eyes never straying from the unusual couple.
Xander and Willow seemed to have similar thoughts.
Their friend's ovious closeness with the very creature she was sworn to destroy, somehow preventing their usual chit-chat.
"Eh, well," Giles cleared his throat after a long akward period of silence. "I wouldn't mind you taking some of this books…" He shoved two equalling piles of research material towards Willow and Xander. "While I shall have a call the Council for…"
His voice trailed off when all four of them simultaneously fled the library.
***
"That's how the wanker found you?" Buffy inquired in a dull voice.
She and William were lying on the far ends of her bed, with only their hands touching.
"Don't worry, Buffy," the dark-haired vampire gently squeezed her fingers. "It happened a long time ago."
"But they hurt you!" The slayer quickly sat up, trying to establish eye contact.
William, however, didn't react.
Without further ado she leaned over to tussle his hair.
He immediately tensed, but managed to relax little later.
Her whole body started to tremble, when his cold hand came up and reached for hers. And now it was up to Buffy to tense up, With a deep purposeful breath she tried to calm herself down, but her violently beating heart seemed to have a will of its own.
"M-m-may I…," she hesitated uncomfortably, unsure of what to expect.
"Buffy?" William asked, turning around to check on the slayer.
Her face a deep shade of red, Buffy quickly made a decision.
"May I come over?" She blurred out impromptu, her body so tense it was trembling. For a couple of minutes they lay in perfect silence, neither sure what to say or how to react.
If possible, the slayer's heart sped up even more, when all of a sudden the grip at her hand tightened. Seconds later, she found herself intimately held by the vampire, a dreamy look on his face.
"Yes," he almost inaudibly whispered, "I'd very much like that."
And that's how they fell asleep.
***
She was running.
A dark shadow, she instinctively knew would bring death, hard on her heels.
"Giles?"
"Willow?"
"Xander?"
She jelled, but neither of her friends would hear her.
Her legs started to cramp, and she knew, she wouldn't be able to keep up her speed for much longer.
Her pursuer, however, didn't even seem to suffer from exhaustion.
Where she was gasping for breath, the dark figure seemed to speed up.
For the very first time in all of her slayer existence, Buffy was terrified. She was alone, surrounded by darkness, merciless tracked down by some unknown creature.
She jumped, in order to avoid to trip over some drunkard. When she turned to check on her hunter, she none too gently crashed into a second figure, which seemed to have appeared out of thin air.
"William!" She exclaimed, panic in her voice. "We need to get away - now!!!"
Although locked into a tight embrace Buffy all of a sudden found herself face to face with Drusilla.
"He shall be your death, slayer!" She laughed. "Your death!"
She faded, and this time, when Buffy opened her eyes, she was greeted by the mischievous grin of Angelus.
"Don't ya worry, bitch," the master vampire snarled. "I'm not the one to fear."
And once again, his features dissolved.
"William!!!" She cried, desperately clinging to the one thing that felt save.
She had no idea, how long she had been screaming, when a pair of strong arms locked around her shaking body.
"Shhhh, it's alright," a voice whispered. "I am here, I've got you…"
"William," she literally crawled into his chest, when she finally recognized his voice. And with a sigh of relief, she allowed herself to relax in the boy's arms.
"I just had the meanest of nightmares," she sobbed, burying her face in the crook of his neck. "Will?" She propped up her head, but pulled back when a pair of yellow eyes stared back at her.
"I shall be thee death," the vampire snarled.
"William!!! - No!!! - No!!! - No!!!"
***
"…so he killed you???"
In full watcher-mode Giles stared down at the more than uncomfortable vampire.
"Giles," Buffy turned to glare at her watcher. "It was a dream!"
She demonstrably reached for the boy's hand.
"It was a dream, got it?" She jelled angrily. "William didn't bite me! He actually spent half the night comforting me - what???" The tiny blonde demanded defensively, when two pair of eyes drilled into her, shocked.
Giles, because of his slayer spending a night in the arms of this vampire and William, utterly embarrassed of the other man knowing she did.
It was Xander, who involuntarily put an end to their awkwardness. Willow in tow, the boy noisily waltzed into the library.
"Hi, B! Hi, Tweed! - Deadboy!"
He was just about to fall into his usual babbling habit, when he realized four most irritated people staring at him.
"What?" He frowned, confusion written all over him.
Although, not for long. "Guess what w-w-Willow discovered!" He blurred out excitedly.
"So tell us already," Buffy demanded, letting go of her attempt to stare him into submission.
"It's all about Deadboy over there."
The dark-haired vampire visibly flinched when repeatedly being reminded of being undead. Xander, however, being Xander, couldn't care less.
"Yeah," he grinned at his friends. "Will here thinks he not quite the black-souled, hell-bred creature of the night we actually assumed… OUCH!!!"
Holding his shine, he gave Willow his best hurt puppy-dog look.
"Thank you, Xander." The Willow gave him the smile, so casually as so she hadn't just kicked him two seconds ago. "I think, I better take over from here."
Buffy immediately gave her friend the thumbs up, and even Giles couldn't totally withhold a smirk.
Only William seemed to have retreated himself even more.
"Willow, please," the watcher tried to distract the somewhat uncomfortable silence. "You go ahead."
"Thank you, Giles." The redhead hurried to pick up the thread, before the master of death-pun even had a chance to interact. "You probably remember the books you gave us last night … eh, well, of course you do, since you asked us to, never mind…" she quickly cut herself off, realizing how ridiculous she sounded.
"Well, according to this books and what we know from William, he never really…"
This time it was Buffy, who crudely cut her off, pulling her in the tightest of hugs.
"Didn't I tell you," the girl exclaimed excitedly, bouncing up and down on her chair. "Oh c'mon guys…, " her voice trailed off, when the image of four matching grins crossed her look. "You know what I mean…"
Turning into an attractive shade of red, she pleadingly glanced at the redhead. "You know Willow, don't you…?"
Unable to entirely eliminate the grin from her face, the girl nonetheless hurried to jump into action.
"It's like this," she took a deep breath. "According to this books William never really got turned…"
"Which means?" The slayer could barely contempt herself from bouncing.
"Breath, Buffy! Breath!" Giles put a calming hand on her shoulder, before he focused his attention on Willow. "I suppose he never lost his conscious."
The bouncing increased and all of a sudden the watcher found himself confronted with what seemed to be four overexcited five-years-old kids.
"What?" He gasped in his best Cordelia imitation. "I'm a watcher, the Council expect me to know this kind of things…" His voice quiet, when he came face to face with the dark-haired man's vampire face.
"What about this?" William asked quietly. "Or the blood?"
Although him being the threat, he stared at the humans with huge insecure eyes.
"See!" Once again it was Xander, who cut through their awkwardness. "That's what Will here was just about to explain, when," A pointed look at the watcher. "some smart ass Brit…" He thought better than finishing his sentence when he realized their silent threat. "Well, Wills, " he grinned. "You go ahead."
***
"I am scared."
Buffy looked up in surprise.
William hadn't said a word since their return from the library.
The revelation of the true nature of his condition seemed to have taken him totally aback. She hadn't tried to drill into him, knowing he'd talk in his own time. So they had sat, quietly, either lost in their very own thoughts.
"You hear me?" The vampire nudged her with his foot. "I am scared."
Their eyes locked.
"I know," the slayer whispered, hiding her face in his chest.
Immediately his hand came up to play with her hair.
An instinctive gesture, she realized, just as instinctive, as her snuggling up on him for comfort.
She sighed.
Life was getting more and more complicated.
"Buffy?"
Another soft nudge brought her back to reality.
Without thinking the girl reached for his hand.
"What is it, sweets?" She asked in a voice she didn't quite recognize as being hers.
"It would be great to be human again."
He squeezed her hand to empathize his words.
A gesture she returned, silently acknowledging she understood.
Although...
She felt herself tighten, recalling the one thing it would take…
**Better not go there, Buffy.**
Her head shot up, startled by the soft kiss to her cheek.
***
And only when William ever so carefully tried to loosen her hand, she realized how tight a hold she had on his wrist.
"You want me to go?" The vampire asked, his eyes thoroughly avoiding her.
"No!"
Her answer came so quick and without hesitation, she couldn't say who was more surprised, William, or her.
Embarrassed because of her fierceness, Buffy quickly hid her face in his neck. Although not until she placed a quick peck to his cheek and weaseled her arms round his waist.
The vampire tensed.
"I…we…," he stuttered.
The tension between the tow of them just about to grew physically.
Their eyes met and held for the longest of seconds.
Sparks flying rapidly.
Tentatively William brought his hand up to carefully play with the
soft of her hair.
"W-w-we really shouldn't…," he started once again, but feel of slayer pressed flush to his body banned all rational thought from his mind. It was the feeling of wholeness, the kindness and warmth he sensed from her that finally made his arms lock around her, pulling her close.
He couldn't say, who initiated the kiss, neither did he really want to think about it - for now they were only two people in desperate need for the other ones tender- and closeness.
***
"Suggestions, lover, suggestions!" Angelus growled, watching Drusilla from under his lashes.
For some silly reason his riotous dark childe seemed awfully quiet to him.
Totally engrossed in drawing delicate little patterns on her sire's broad chest, she hadn't jelled, bitched or dared him in hours. A steep frown on his face, he watched the thick trickles of blood surface where the brunette had laid her bloody design.
**Something must be seriously wrong,** her thought, his eyes never straying from her.
**What's happening to my venom spitting rattle snake, hasn't thrown a tantrum in…**
**Thinking about it, she's been all cheery and smiley from the very moment toyboy made himself rare.**
**Time to put her back in place!** Angelus decided, casually winking at her.
"Get up, Drusilla."
Before she had a chance to react, he already none too gently shoved her down to the floor. Much to his surprise she wasn't even offended by his somewhat rude stroke. Instead, a wicked little smile curling up her lips, she purposefully leaned into her sire's space.
"Daddy want's to play rough," she purred. "Well, I'm all game."
Her experienced fingers traced and encircled his flaccid member which immediately rethought and jumped to life.
For a little while he allowed himself to enjoy her soft caressing, then he angrily batted her away.
"What?" The vampiress pouted. "You better not give a repeat performance of that, unless you want me to sulk instead of fucking you senseless."
The way she whispered that last part made his cock jump in anticipation. However, gathering all of his willpower, he forcefully grabbed hold of her wrist.
The stroking stopped.
"None of that now!" He snarled, frustration all over him. "Get the fuck dressed, the tow of us got a toy to retrieve."
***
"Stupid!"
"Xander!!!"
The fierceness and the small tremor in their voice told this wasn't the first time Willow and Giles were doing this.
"What?" The boy bit back immediately. "It was stupid. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! - We shouldn't have…"
"…let Buffy and William leave here together…"
His friend's chorus-like completion of his sentence didn't cause the boy as much as batting a lash.
Xander, being Xander, simply missed out on their combined sarcasm.
"Right!" He insisted. "We never should have let them waltz outa here - not after the thing we just discovered.." He shot Willow, who heatedly rolled her eyes at him, a just as grim look. "Just imagine what this guy could do to…"
He continued his lecture as so he had never been interrupted.
Although, not for long.
"Stop it, Xander!"
This time Willow didn't restrict herself to simply glaring.
Sick and tired of listening to her childhood friend's postulations all over again, she viciously stabbed her finger to his chest.
"He," stab, "will," stab, "not," stab, "hurt," stab, "her," stab, "Xander!" stab, "He," stab, "will," stab, "not," stab, "hurt," stab, "her," stab…
"Eh, Willow," Giles wary caught the girl's hand midair, preventing Xander from further proofs of emphasis.
Although, when he met her eyes, it was pretty clear, Willow hadn't even got close to making her point.
"But you know, he won't hurt her!" She stubbornly insisted. "Just remember the way he looks at her!"
"Yeah," Xander grunted, "and I sure as hell saw the way he looked at her after you told him all he gotta do is to drain Buffy if he feels like regaining humanity!"
For one short moment it seemed as so the two friends were likely to physically attack each other. But then, just as sudden as the tension had build up it totally disappeared.
"Sorry, Will," the dark-haired boy apologized, "I didn't mean to…well, you know."
A wry smile on his face he searched the red-head's eyes for understanding. And eventually Willow gave in.
"You're right, Xan," she said, still little strained, "I guess we're all kinda worried about Buffy."
For a couple of minutes the three of them silently hung on to their very own thoughts. Willow was right, they all were worried about Buffy, although all of them for quite different reasons.
Giles for example, apart from his usual watcher-distress felt particularly concerned about what he thought of 'alternative' development William might be able to undergo. Although at the moment highly unlikely, some day certain circumstances could force the boy to permanently bring the demon to the
fore. He had no idea what this circumstances might be, but just the idea there might be a trigger was bothering him to no end. However, he preferred to keep this thoughts to himself, since he didn't feel the need to upset the kids furthermore.
So they just continued to sit in silence, unaware of the dark figures lurking behind the library door.
***
"Buffy?"
William's voice wasn't but a hoarse whisper when he addressed the half-asleep girl.
"Did…did…?" He didn't dare to finish his sentence, and instead started to soothingly run his hand up and down her back. He waited, but much to his surprise, the slayer didn't react.
"Buffy?" One hand tangling in her golden hair, he desperately cradled her closer. "I'm sorry, sweets, I…we…," his voice trailed off, when her small warm hand covered his lips.
Slowly, as so coming awake from the sweetest of dreams, the girl turned to meet his eyes. Their eyes locked, and he could feel her hear speed up.
"I've never been in love, Will," she whispered, sucking in a nervous gulp of oxygen, before shyly lowering her head, "but if that's what it is, it's the sweetest, deepest, most beautiful experience, I ever had."
His undead heart skipped for a beat then their mouths locked in the hottest, wildest, all consuming of kisses.
***
"Gosh, isn't that disgusting!"
A mocking voice commented from outside the window.
Immediately the intimately entwined couple went flying apart.
"D-D-Drusilla?" William stuttered, rapidly blinking at the solemn dark figure.
When the vampiress wouldn't disappear, his face paled in shock.
"In the flesh!" The dark-haired woman chided, with an icy look. "Since we both know, I can't force you out of your hiding, you may wanna look at this as a warning." She casually leaned into the invisible barrier. "You either be back by the morrow, else you better start praying for the new slayer to also have a thing for pathetic weaklings like you…"
William opened his mouth to reply, but Buffy held the brunette down by her collar before he had a chance to react.
"Listen, bitch," she hissed, in full slayer-mode, "'cuz this is an only warning. William is not going anywhere - only over my dead body!"
"This could be arranged." The vampiress scorned with a smile.
"Buffy!!!" William frantically tried to reach the slayer, but just as he'd expected Drusilla had pulled her right through the barrier immediately.
"I am waiting, boy!"
Next thing he knew, Angelus was holding a stake to the tiny blondes chest.
"Don't…" William hurried to climb out of the window, ignoring the slayer's furious looks.
"Let go of her, now!" He demanded in much firmer a voice than he actually felt. This nonetheless was the first time he'd ever dared to speak up to his elders.
"Sure, boy." Angelus flashed him a smile that made him shiver in fear. "Your wish is my command."
"Buffy!!!"
Instinctively he reached for the tumbling body carelessly shoved his way.
"No!!!"
Panic all over him, he stared at the fatale stake piercing the slayer's heart. Blood tears started to run freely.
"Well, I guess that's it." Angelus commented dryly, since the older vampire couldn't care less. "Let's go!"
Gesturing Drusilla to follow him, he gracefully jumped down the roof.
"Coming, sweets?" He playfully opened his arms, daring her.
"Not quite ready, lover." The brunette purred, slowly turning toward the much hated competition - William.
Making herself comfortable, she glared at the crying young man.
"What is it, Willie-Boy?" she spat. "Aren't ye man enough to finish her off?"
The pain inflicted by her cruel teasing forced the other vampire's gameface to the fore.
However, William was far from indulging in the bloodlust - too upset and too hurt.
"Shut up, Drusilla." Angelus growled at her, a growl she thoroughly ignored.
"This is your chance, Willie-Boy," she laughed, sardonically. "regaining humanity and all the rot - who said you've gotta drain a live slayer…"
An iron fist clamped down on his undead heart.
**Killing the only person I ever loved…**
**Regaining humanity…**
**Salvaging weakness…**
The decision was easy.
Carefully settling Buffy's dying body to the floor, William placed a quick kiss to her quivering lips.
She was so brave. No screams, no tears, only her unwavering gaze steadily holing his.
"Love you, sweets," he whispered. "Forever."
His eyes clouded with reddish haze.
Then, without as much as a warning he jumped and tackled Drusilla, taking the vampiress aback.
An feral growl rumbling in his throat, William viciously sunk his fangs into the struggling girl.
Drusilla let out a choked whimper, giving a hell of a fight in order to break free. But the vengeance running hot in the dark-haired man's blood simply proved to be too much.
With the first little whimper Angelus immediately jumped into action, his voice stern and his eyes a bright yellow from barely suppressed anger.
"Let go of her!" He demanded gravely, mounting himself up the tree.
William, however, couldn't even be bothered to look up. Ever so slowly draining the live out of Drusilla, his only focus was on the dying girl curled up to his feet.
He was hurting.
Seeing Buffy fading away like this and being unable to give her the slightest bit of support tore his undead heart apart. There was nothing on his mind but his dying lover, and he hoped and prayed she would know.
Even when he finally gave in to the bloodlust, the brunette girl in his arms hanging lifeless and limp, the demon inside of him roared in resentment and fury. His face an emotionless mask, William let the body of his former nemesis drop to her sire's feet.
For one short moment their eyes met and locked - master and servant - reflecting equaling anger and hurt.
They fell down on their knees.
For the rest of the night mourning their loved ones in true demon fashion.
The raw sobs of two suffering creatures the only noise to greet the first light.
-end-