Title: Braving Buffy (10/?)

Author: Katie

Disclaimer: The BtVS and Angel characters don't belong to me, but to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, etc.

Rating: PG - British System

Feedback: Oh Yeah!  I need it - I can't write if I don't know that someone is reading!

Distribution: If you want it, just let me know.

Dedication: To Krys for betaing this.  To all those who wanted it.

Notes: A sequal to 'It Shouldn't Happen to a Vampire'.


 Willow suddenly felt very small.  Everyone in the room was staring at her.
Even Spike had removed his feet from the coffee table and stood up to look at
her.

"Um ... What was that?" She finally broke the silence.

"You tell us, Will.  You're the one who put on the light show,"  Xander's
tone was light, but the way his eyes shifted nervously from Willow to the
door betrayed his worry.

"I have no idea,"  Willow confessed, her eyes on Buffy.  "Goddess, are you
all right?"  She asked.

"I think so,"  Buffy absently rubbed at the hand that had been so very close
to Willow's flash of magic.

"I suggest we sit down, yes?"  Giles pulled the immobile form of Xander
further into the room and Angel crossed the floor to help Willow, who found
that her legs couldn't quite support her anymore.

 "I'm hoping you've got an explanation, Giles?"  Willow allowed Angel to pull
her down into his lap.

"Well, it's possible that you are experiencing residual magick.  A result of
the ...ah... power you experienced when you restored Angel's soul."  Giles
began polishing his glasses, a sure sign that he was worried.

 "Will it go away?"  Willow's hands fluttered nervously in her lap, and Angel
placed his hands over them in an attempt to calm her.

"I don't think so,"  Giles smiled kindly at her.  "You'll be able to control
it, though, with time.  I think your ...er... emotions are getting the better
of you at the moment."

"Gee, I wonder why?"  Willow couldn't help the sarcasm that laced her words.

"I knew you'd end up blaming me,"  Buffy shot Willow a dirty look.

"Well, things are usually your fault, Bitchy,"  Spike piped up from his seat
beside Giles.

"What is everyone doing here anyway?"  Angel cut in before Spike and Buffy
engaged in all out verbal conflict once more.  "I thought you were all
meeting at Giles'."

"We wanted to talk to you...about Buffy,"  Willow told him quietly.

"What about me?"  Buffy cut in snidely.

"We think that you're mad,"  Cordelia announced.

"Cordelia!"  Giles snapped.  "What she meant to say is that we all think you
need to calm down."

"No, I meant to say that she's mad,"  Cordelia responded before sitting down
in Spike's lap as the whole room turned to glare at her.  "If people can't
take the truth..."  She trailed off.

"Never mind, Pet,"  Spike kissed her neck.

"Yes, quite,"  Giles commented, turning his back on the cuddling couple.

"Is the little witch gonna let me out, now?  I'm not listening to this,"
Buffy stood in the middle of the room with her hands on her hips.

"Yes, you are,"  Giles spoke firmly.  "You need to get a grip on your
emotions before you endanger your life or that of someone you care about."

"I'll endanger his unlife,"  Buffy sped across the room to where Angel and
Willow sat entwined on the sofa.

"No, Buffy!"  Willow shouted, and Xander prepared himself for the blast of
magick he was certain his friend was about to produce.  It didn't come.
Instead the room fell silent as Buffy stepped back, blood on her hands.

Willow looked down at the stake protruding from her body at such an odd
angle.
 

next