Disclaimer: I wish! But what do you all say../ hmm take a number? Maybe?
Distribution: Anywhere I'm already at. Otherwise send a link.
Summary: Set after "The Penny Loafer." So Mr. Bond, who are you really?
Rating: R Pairing: BA

The Master was roaring in anger down in his little dank hole. He snickered, Buffy has been wiping his people out one by one, and he was getting frustrated. They were good, but she was better. He loved to stand in the shadows and just watch her kick the crap out of them. She had grace, and more then not she wore little short skirts and dresses. How she fought in those he didn't understand, but he enjoyed his view.

Currently, he was doing just that, looking out from behind a mausoleum, to see her attack one of the Master's long time companions. Most hadn't had to fight in a long time, so the guy's moves were rusty and bad at best on his Buffy. It was over within minutes and his show was over until the next vampire showed up.

He had gone to see her in the talent show at her school earlier that week. She didn't look like she had enjoyed that at all, and Willow got so nervous she ran off stage. He didn't talk to her afterwards, knowing she'd be pissed that he had come to watch her misery. It was cute, a butchering of Oedipus, but for him she would never have to worry about being humiliated.

He doubt he would have done well. Come on? He, Mr. Cryptic? It'd be asking to much of him to speak that long. Of course, his tongue got all tied up when he was around her. He was like a school boy with sweaty palms. Eventually it would stop, if only he had the courage to ask her out, and maybe if she said yes?

He followed her into the Bronze and watched her go sit with her friends. Sidling up a little closer, he saw Xander get up and ask them to dance, but the look between the girls was clear. Xander'd go, and they would shop talk… err girl talk?

"So is it a guy?"

He watched her look up, and down to swirl her virgin drink. No alcohol, although it was suppose to be one. His gaze never wavered from her mouth, as her lips puckered over the straw to draw the tasty drink in. He was thinking of their first and only kiss. It had been after her date with another guy.

Lurking had its advantages, he knew she wasn't dating Owen anymore. Much to his relief, but since then its always been a lump of fear in his stomach, that an arrogant boy would come up and ask her out, when he a vampire of the age of 239, couldn't strike up the nerve. It was silly, and all together ego popping… bursting?

"Willow. To talk about a guy, there'd have to be a guy, that we could talk about."

"Is it Angel?" she whispered excitedly, leaning over conspicuously to talk without anyone hearing.

Go vamp hearing.

"Oh, I'd like to see him in a relationship. Hey honey, you're in grave danger. I'll see you next month."

Wince. He wasn't avoiding her! He saw her more then once a month… like every night… okay, in the shadows, but what did he have to say? He wanted to kiss her senseless and keep going.

"But you do like Angel right? Even with all his not aroundness?"

"Maybe? Yes. No. I don't know Willow. I wish I had more time to be with him, but he only shows up when the danger is big and coming from beneath inside the Master's lair."

Xander strolled back to them and was speaking of inane things, which caused Buffy to mumble something and leave. He didn't bother to stick around, he was here for her, not them. Besides Xander wasn't like his bestest best pal in the whole world. Gag me.

When he got outside the Bronze, he saw a terrifying scene. Three vampires were attacking Buffy, two holding her down and the other leaning in for the kill. Something snapped and he panicked, rushing into the fight, he didn't even stop to take in more of the situation, other then that she might get killed.

It was extremely hard to hold his demon in, his face was contorted with the effort as he pulled off the advancing vampire and giving him a right hook. He learned as much from street fighting as he had from martial arts. He saw through the corner of his eye that she had gotten loose. While still pissed, he felt himself relax a margin enough to allow actual thought processes to take over his fight.

He needed to get two of them on him, just the one on him wasn't going to help her. Backing up he lashed out into one of the ones working on her, and the demon fell. Three in armor, it was a rare occurrence, and that fought together. Vampires don't where armor and they don't hunt in packs. Something is wrong with this picture.

While he was over thinking the situation, the vampire he had been fighting attacked him with a rusty pipe, slashing his ribs. Blood was seeping through as he stood there blankly for a moment, before spinning around and grabbing the pipe out of the vampire's hands and swinging it at him.

Feeling a light touch on his back, he swung at it before he realized that it was her. She looked a little frightened, as she took his hand in hers.

"Come on, let's go!"

He said nothing as he dropped his makeshift weapon and fled the scene with her. As they ran, he could hear their footsteps hitting the ground behind them. Other than her breath, all was silent in the town of Sunnydale. He kept pace with her, even though he could run faster, he risked a glance behind him and saw the others gaining up on them.

"Hurry Buffy!"

She was running full out and still that wasn't fast enough. How would she take it if he scooped her up in his arms and ran full out? Not well. They were running down her street now, and he could see her house, but they weren't safe yet. The three stooges were still following right on their heels.

"Come on! Get inside."

He heard her yell, as they ran up the steps to her house. She fumbled with the lock and got the door opened. He danced at the balls of his feet, looking behind him at the Three chasing up the steps, then he felt her hand grab a hold of his T-shirt and yank him inside.

"Don't worry. A vampire can't come in unless you invite it."

"I heard that theory before, but I never put it to the test." She said, her nose pressed to the glass watching the vampires outside.

He'd called them the Three. It all made sense now. The stupid morons belonged to the Master, he must be getting fed up with his slayer. The Master never sent the Three out to just anyone. They had to be deserving and a tough kill. His slayer was that.

"You’re hurt," she told him, pointing to his ribcage before walking away from him.

He looked around the room at the photos of mother and daughter. There were about a half a dozen of them. A few when Buffy was younger, one was Buffy clinging to her mom at an airport, another was the two of them at a restaurant. Not posed, but not really doing mother-daughter quality time things. Like the beach, or pier, or hiking.

No, they're probably never will be. Joyce was into her own thing. Mostly parties in LA and art deals. She rarely exhibited any time for Buffy unless she was in trouble. He believed Buffy might resent that just a little bit. Her mom displayed ignorance all the time, always ignoring the cuts and bruises and blood until someone dared to point it out to her. His heart went out to Buffy, all she wanted was a mother who got involved once in awhile.

"You want to get cleaned up or what?" Buffy asked, her head sticking around the corner.

"Yeah sure."

"Take your shirt off."

He smiled a very macho smile, knowing that his look made her think of his muscular body. He saw her blush, before turning her back towards the cabinets. He had a very nice view of her backside, and just sort of stood there ogling it with his shirt forgotten in his hands.

She was smiling warmly, pressing a cool cloth to his skin, and he sucked in a breath of air.

"Sorry. Its a bit cold."

"No, no. Its okay. Stings a little, that's all."

"Good then you won't mind the peroxide."

He didn't say anything to that, as he continued to stare down at her face. Her eyelashes fanned her cheeks, and her lower lip was bit under severe concentration as she took care of his bandages. Her hands were soft and warm, as they played along his skin, fulfilling one of his more lusty thoughts.

When she was done soothing over the bandages, she looked up at him, her lower lip still caught between her teeth and suddenly he was kissing her. Easing her mouth open with his own, his hands running along the curve of her lower back and waist.

She nibbled on his own lower lip with her teeth, wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning into his frame. Her breath was hot on his lips as they kissed, very slowly and thoroughly. Her hands crept into the fine hair at his lower neck, and she let out a quiet moan.

Her moan caused his fingers to tighten before running down the curve of her derriere, before he realized what he was doing. He reversed direction and wrapped his arms behind her, his own fingers trailing in her loose hair. He took a step closer, melding their bodies into the countertop behind her.

They were so close, his erection was nestled against her stomach. She sighed, pulling her mouth away from his, down along the column of his neck, taking mouthfuls of his flesh between her teeth, suckling. Arching his neck away, he gave her access to his collar bone, her hands curled into little fists on his chest, as she nibbled.

Fingers idly flicked over his nipples, causing his head to fall back and a sigh to escape from his lips. His fingers trailed down her arms, up to her hands, holding them where they touched his skin. He wasn't comfortable without her knowing what and who he was exactly, but he sure as hell didn't want her to stop.

"Buffy," he whispered, his voice gruff.

She stopped kissing him and looked up, her eyes blank but for her passion and suddenly she was scrambling away from him. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and her hands were flying about in nervous energy. She tried to edged away from him, but he reached out for her.

"Buffy no, don't think that. I haven't told everything to you that I should have told you."

Damn it. He didn't want her to hate him from keeping this away from her. He too was scared, not for the same reasons as her… damn… he should have suck it up and not have said anything… but what if telling her was the only right thing to do at this point? He couldn't keep hiding who he was… not to himself, and not to her. She had a right to know… maybe after she was pleasured from an orgasm… No. Now. She needed to know before they moved on further into their relationship… she was babbling… what was she saying?

"Hey no big, water over the bridge, under the bridge…"

"Buffy listen to me please. I want to keep on kissing you senseless-"

"Senseless?"

"Until I bring you to orgasm."

Her cheeks flushed, but she looked calmer now then before as she whispered in an incredibly soft voice, "Oh my."

He grinned, "Yeah. Oh my. I want you, but you knew that. Its just, there's something you need to know. Have to know, before we…"

She moved away from the counter and wrapped her arms around his neck, rising to tiptoe, leaning her entire slim frame against him. Her harden nipples rubbing his chest as she purred before kissing him softly. A mere brush of air over his tingling lips.

"Tell me what?"

She sure knew how to make it hard to think. In a minute he might be able to speak.

"Do you trust me?"

"Indefinitely."

"God I hope so. Buffy, I'm not human."

He felt her pull away from him and fix him with her stare. He could feel the disbelief and anger right underneath that confusion. Closing his eyes, he waited for her to speak.

"If you're not human, what the hell are you?"

"A vampire."

He opened his eyes in time to see her yank her cross out from under her dress and press it to his skin. He said nothing as the cross began to burn his skin, the smoke drifting up from her hand and the cross. She didn't move it, just kind of stood there watching her hand like it wasn't attached to her skin.

"Buffy…"

Anger flashed into her eyes, as she pressed the cross more firmly into his smooth chest, watching him ash he winced before collecting his calm and staring gently down at her. He brought a hand up to hold hers more into place, but she yanked it away from him, removing as well the source of his discomfort.

"You sure had me fooled. Go back to your Master you… you… thing…"

He held her by her shoulders, hunkering down to look her in the eye, "Buffy, I'm not on their side. I'm on yours, you don't remember me, and that's okay, you shouldn't. There's more to me then just the vampire part."

"Yeah like what?" she asked with a toss of her hair, glaring up at him from beneath her lashes, as she prepared her body to fight him.

"About a hundred years ago, I fed from a girl about your age. The elders of her clan-"

"Clan?"

"Romani? Gypsies?"

They obviously never taught history at her school.

"They conjured the perfect punishment. They restored my soul."

The shock made her jump, and he saw a look of pain and pity rush into her eyes before she closed it down. "What were they all out of boils and blinding torment?"

"I haven't fed off of a single person since that day, please believe me."

"Why should I do that?"

"Because you bought me for a penny."

Her eyes were startling in their intensity, he sauntered a bit closer to her, letting her see the truth in his eyes. He stood there waiting for her answer. Would she except him? Take him all, man and demon? It was a lot to absorb, it took him nearly all of the one hundred years he'd cohabited this body with his lesser self.

"Show me your game face."

The confusion must have shown for she elaborated.

"Your vamped out face. Pointy teeth and all."

This was the moment of truth. Relaxing each and every muscle in his body, he focused on his demon Angelus, and awaited the face of his other half to appear. It was subtle, and quick. Silent, for he made no noise to announce its presence. When he opened those amber eyes, he saw nothing in her own.

Fear. Rage. Lust. Disgust.

Nothing shone in those eyes but curiosity. He didn't pretend to breath anymore, his made himself invisible, standing there so still. Her hand cupped his face, tracing the sharp edge of his cheekbone, up to the ridge over his eyes before falling away.

"Who were they?"

"The Three. Those guys are vampires the Master rarely uses, and when he does only on someone whose been a pain in his behind. That'd be the both of us, but he is angered over you, he is still naïve in thinking I might go back to him."

"Will you?"

A deep chuckle escaped, as he turned away, slipping back into his human visage. Taking a look out of the window, he saw no movement, but hadn't he just proved that they could lie there and make with the silent stillness? No, there was still a chance they might be out there.

"Where's your mother?"

"Away. Are they out there?"

"Not as far as I can tell, but they are good at what they do," he answered truthfully.

"Well, come upstairs, you'll need a place to crash come daybreak."

Looking at her he didn't see trust, but there wasn't a sign of weariness or disdain. So when she went upstairs, he followed on quiet feet. When she reached the closet on the landing she paused to pull out a blanket and a pillow before continuing down the hall.

Inside the room, she flipped on the light, and motioned him in. It was her room, he could tell by the stuff animals and the few remaining skating figure that he never caught the name of. He saw on the comforter watching her pace around straightening things that didn't need to be straightened.

"Could you turn your back? I need to change into pajamas."

"Sure."

He stared at her vanity, taking in the bottles of perfume and array of make up she had on the surface. There was a Bath and Body set of lotions, and a pair of Pacific Sun glasses as well. A little basket of jewelry lined the far side of the white wood, containing hair clips and rings at the same time. Economic, he supposed, but more likely it was convenience.

"Done."

When he looked at her again, he saw a girl dressed in loose night wear. Silk pant like material, and a long sleeve matching top, both cream blue. Her feet were bare, with lavender nail polish and glitter decorating them, her hair was loose without the scrunchie and headband to try to tame it.

"You look nice."

"Thanks. Do you want the bed?"

"I can take the floor-"

"But you’re hurt."

"I've had worse, hop in."

Standing he took the blanket from her and threw it onto the floor followed by the tossing of the pillow. The lights went out, when she clicked off the bedside lamp beside her. Settling in, he listened to her even heartbeats and quiet breathing. They were silent, but both were awake. Too bad they weren't sharing the bed sheets, maybe the silence wouldn't be so thick then.

"Do you snore?"

It was so unexpected he had to grin, it was a slow feral grin, but an amused one at that. "Its been a while since anyone's been in a position to let me know."

He heard her move on the mattress, settling the sheets and comforter around her. "Oh."

"Will you let me know?"

"Yeah sure," came her quiet, breathless voice, "Goodnight Angel."

"Goodnight Buffy."

He laid there in quiet solitude, accompanied by her even breathing, and slight snore. It was adorable. Sitting up, he looked on at her sleeping form, so trusting, and beautiful. She hadn't screamed in horror, but she hadn't kissed him either. It would be too soon to ask her to accept all that he was, but she made an effort tonight.

That was something.

Maybe they weren't as doomed as he thought. The sunlight belonging to the early twilight began to creep over him, when he moved finally from her side. Walking to the shades, he pulled them and went into her bathroom to take a shower, when he heard the alarm go off in her room.

Slipping away, he hid from her until she had gone into the bathroom with a robe and a towel in her hands. He wondered if she even remembered that he was still here. A thought occurred to him and he walked back inside her room.

Many minutes later, she walked in dressed and scrubbed clean for the day, when she bent to pick up his pillow and blanket. He of course was hiding in her closet, getting in touch with his more feminine side. Snort, more like her scent. It surrounded him in the little space, all plummaria and coconut.

He saw her smile as she picked up the coin he had placed underneath his pillow, and watch her eyes light up in wonderment. The bedding dropped to the floor as she raced to her bed and saw the note he had written.

"The Pointed Tooth Fairy, left a few pennies behind for the golden ray of sunshine, who has given courage to the unsure fairy, who thought he couldn't fly even with wings. Angel."

She picked up the other pillows and saw a scattering of the pennies he had collected throughout the years since he met her. He watched as she got a little velvet bag and placed each one in, including the note. He saw her look around for him, but then she noticed the time and grabbed her school things before dashing out.

Now it was daybreak, and he'd bet money that this house didn't have sewer access. What was he going to do all day? He didn't need sleep. He shut the closet door behind him, and walked to her bookshelf pulling out a thin little book that looked promising.

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