"Angel, sweetie, I really don't think this is a good idea."
Angel looked at his blonde girlfriend in some irritation. "Kate, this will save lives."
"But, with everything so uncertain...I just think you should wait. The spell might not even work."
"Look, I need to get some more supplies. Can we talk later, after Buffy gets here?"
Kate winced at the mention of his old lover. "I still don't know why we need some college student to come help..."
"She's not 'some college student', she's the Slayer. She's also a wonderful person. I'm sure you'll love her-"
"Like you do?" Her question hung in the air as he looked at her, his face a mask.
"Do you really want to fight right now?" he asked, his voice deep in his throat.
Kate shrugged. "I just don't understand what she has to be here for..."
***********************************************************
"Buffy, where exactly are we going?"
Buffy glared up at her boyfriend, irritated with his attitude. "We're going to see Angel, so that we can perform the spell and get back to Sunnydale. Okay?"
Riley frowned at his girlfriend as she led the way down the sidewalk. "What does your ex-boyfriend have to do with this anyway?"
"He's been having the same sort of demon troubles we have. If we do the spell here, there's a hope that it will stop the infestations in both towns. Plus, he has more experience in this sort of incantation than Willow. Okay? Is that reason enough for you?"
"I just don't think the spell is necessary. I think it's going overboard."
"Riley! Can you trust me? This is the best for everyone!"
"Not just an excuse to see him again?"
His words were like a slap in the face, and she whirled, stopping and looking up into his face in disbelief. "Did I do something to deserve that?"
"I'm sorry, I'm just-"
"Jealous and trying to piss me off? Look, he has a relationship with someone else, and I'm with you. Can we just get there please?"
She walked on quickly, Riley trailing behind. "I still think this is a mistake..."
********************************************
Leaving Riley outside so he could cool off, Buffy walked into the office. She saw a pretty blonde woman sitting at one of the desks. "You must be Kate," she smiled, willing herself not to be jealous.
"You're Buffy?" Kate asked, disbelief in her voice.
"Um, yeah. Is Angel around?" she replied, nonplused.
"Downstairs." Kate turned back to the computer.
"Okay." Buffy entered the elevator carefully, not sure how it worked. When she reached Angel's apartment, she looked around eagerly, noting the tasteful decor. She looked up as Angel came out from his bedroom, a smile on his face.
"Buffy. You made it."
"Sure thing. It didn't take us too long to get here."
"Is Riley upstairs? I'd like to meet him," Angel said, almost meaning it.
"Yeah, he wanted to stay outside a little while longer. Nice day, and all that."
Buffy jumped as the elevator clanged open behind her. Kate walked over to Angel, not touching him, but making a statement of ownership as she stood just a little too close for friendship. Buffy's smile thinned a bit, but she managed to keep herself from any screaming and/or violence.
"Sun's set, hon," Kate mentioned to Angel.
"He should be coming in any minute," Buffy said, referring to Riley.
"I'll go get him," Angel offered. "You two can talk."
As he rode up in the elevator, the silence was deafening.
**************************
"You must be Angel," Riley said, his voice neutral.
"Nice to meet you, Riley. I understand you're studying Psychology?"
"Yes, I did. I guess you never had the chance to go to college?" There was no snideness in his voice, but Angel had to restrain his urge to growl.
"No, although I do love to read, I was pretty busy torturing and murdering for most of my time as a vampire. Didn't leave much time for higher education. I'm just interested in psychology since, well, I always felt that mental torture was just as important, if not more so, than physical." With a feral grin, he led the way to the elevator.
**************************************
Buffy and Kate both looked up as the gate opened.
"You!" Kate and Riley both exclaimed simultaneously, looking at one another in shock.
"You two...know each other?" Buffy asked in surprise.
"Ummmm, no. Of course not. Never seen him..."
"Never," Riley echoed.
"Let's do the spell," Angel interrupted, looking at both of them strangely.
"I don't think that's a good idea-" Kate began at the same time that Riley grabbed Buffy's arm.
"I really think we should consider other options-" he said on top of Kate's protest.
"What is wrong with the two of you?" Buffy asked in exasperation.
"Everyone calm down," Angel soothed. "Buffy, could you come with me to the office? There's something I've been wanting to show you. We'll be back in a minute, you two."
Leaving Kate and Riley both looking slightly stunned, Buffy and Angel went upstairs. Once they reached his office, Angel pulled out an old book. "I say, we do the spell now, destroy the demons that are causing all this trouble, and not consult the two of them. Why is Riley so against the spell?"
"I have no idea. What about Kate?"
"I haven't a clue either. Anyway, we should finish this in just a few minutes. We'll go downstairs, the demons will be dead, and our respective significant others will be none the wiser."
As Angel chanted, Buffy stirred the components of the spell. With a flash, all of the ingredients disappeared. "Did it work?" Buffy asked. Suddenly, the two of them heard screaming downstairs. They ran down to Angel's apartment, where they found Riley and Kate.
Their screaming probably stemmed from the fact that their flesh was melting from their bodies, running in rivulets down to the floor. "What the-" Buffy began.
"I told you not to do the spell!" Kate shrieked.
"Why didn't you listen?" Riley moaned, just before both he and Kate were enveloped in a cloud of brimstone. When the cloud dissipated, leaving Buffy coughing, Kate and Riley had disappeared.
"Hmmm," Angel remarked. "And she accused me of being secretive."
"You're the one who said I should see other people." Buffy pointed out. "It's not my fault I can't seem to date humans."
The phone rang, and Angel answered it. "Hello?"
"Angel? It's Willow. Did the spell work?"
"Yeah. Kate and Riley were the demons."
"Oh. I'm sorry."
"Not your fault. I should go, if you don't mind."
"Okay. Tell Buffy I'm sorry her boyfriend was evil."
"Will do. Bye." Angel turned back to the bemused Slayer. "Willow gives her condolences. About Riley."
"Mmm-hmm. Thanks."
Suddenly, Angel laughed. "We sure know how to pick 'em, huh?"
Buffy rolled her eyes. "I'll say. Want to go patrol? Ooh, we can stop by Hemery! That could be fun. We can see the spot where I was called."
"We can see the spot where I fell in love with you."
"Sounds like a plan." Buffy grabbed her coat, Angel put some stakes in a bag, and they headed out into the night.
***************************************
When they returned later that evening, tired and bruised but accomplished, there was a message on Angel's machine. "Hey Angel, it's Willow again. We broke into Riley's place since he turned out to be evil, and found a lot of interesting stuff on you and Buffy. He and Kate were apparently demon cousins. Anyway, in one of the files about you, there was a whole section about your soul. So, it's permanent, and even though I'm not sure why Riley cared, I thought you'd like to know. See you later!"
Angel looked at Buffy. "Well."
"Yeah. Craziness."
"I'll say. What a night."
"Very interesting happenings."
"First my girlfriend and your boyfriend are cousin demons, then my soul is permanent, then I kiss you breathless. Quite a lot to absorb."
"Yup," Buffy nodded. Then she did a double take. "Kiss me breath-"
She stopped talking after that.
And the table stayed broken the second time.
to quote someone much smarter than myself: Curse? What curse?