Author: Tessa

Parts: 1-2

E-Mail: timberwolf_5@rocketmail.com

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel & Co. belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, UPN and the WB Network. No copyright infringement intended.

Summary: An old friend of Angelus's comes to town. Unfortunately, Angel wants nothing to do with her.

Author's note: < > represents thoughts

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Willow sat cross-legged on her bed as she flipped over the small, thick, paperback book, while her other hand reached out to turn on her bedside lamp. She had just purchased the novel from the bookstore and was anxious to read it. It was titled A Past Recalled, by Tasha McAlester and it was, according to the back cover, "an entrancing tale of a young girl's encounter with a vampire and her life afterwards." Willow had never heard of either the book or the author, but it had been recommended by one of her many friends in chat a few weeks ago.

< Too bad I don't have that many friends in real life. I mean, I love Buffy like a sister and Xander like... a person I wish I could have, but never will. At least not in the way I'd like to have him; more than just a friend. First Buffy and now Cordelia... > Her eyes began to mist and directed her attention back to the book in her hands rather than on her straying thoughts. She didn't want to start thinking about Xander again or she knew she would end up in tears. < Stop it, girl! You have Oz ! He's nice, funny, smart, and not too shabby in the looks department either! Most importantly, he *really* likes you and you like him! > Willow smiled at the thought of Oz, but the fact that she lost Xander to Cordelia still pained her. < Her of all people... > Willow shook her head abruptly. < I said I wouldn't think about it and I won't. I'm gonna read this book right now, and that's that. > she informed her mind as if that would keep it focused on the pages.

< I wonder if there's any kissing in here? Ooo, what about... > She giggled at her not so innocent thought. < Geez, can we say 'romantic much', Willow?!~ >

Willow lay there and tried to read, but after the first two pages, the words kept blurring and running together as her thoughts wandered again. "This just isn't working," she muttered aloud. Running a hand through her long auburn hair, she sat up and looked around the room trying to find something to take her mind off of Xander, Cordelia, kissing, and lovey-dovey things all together; things she and Oz had yet to do. She glanced at the Hewitt Packard on her desk and almost went to turn it on, but stopped as she realized that not many people would be in chat on a Saturday night. < They all probably have *some* life, unlike me. >

Willow sighed and looked around again. Nothing. There was nothing to do. Xander was out on a date and Buffy was patrolling, so that ruled out calling them over. Oz was practicing with his band, and Giles... Well, he was a nice guy and all, but not really a person she thought would like to do anything besides research, or maybe drink some tea and read a book. < The epitome of fun... > she thought dryly.

"Well, I guess I'll just ready for bed," she told Mr. Goggles, her favorite stuffed frog. Willow was terrified of tadpoles after "the incident" but frogs didn't bother her, especially this one which she had been given as a Valentine's Day gift from Xander. Matter-of-factly, it comforted her She raised her eyebrows and looked at the frog thoughtfully. "Ya think a nice shower would help?" The stuffed animal stared back at her blankly while Willow pretended that it had replied and her face lit up. "Why, Mr. Goggles! That's a great idea! It's been forever since I've had a bubble bath!" Willow did a happy little skip and rushed off to the bathroom.

She crouched down and opened the cabinet doors under the sink. Willow's eyes danced over the assorted shower items she had collected over the years and finally rested on the three bottles she was looking for; Herbal Essences Shampoo and Conditioner and a small bottle of pink bubble soap. She picked them up and placed them on the ground in front of her. Now all she needed to do was get a towel, prepare the water, and she'd be set for a moment in a Bubbly Heaven.

As she stood up, Willow's eye feel upon a small, light-blue piece of fluff shoved into a corner of the cabinet. She leaned over and picked it out wondering what it could be. It was the body sponge that she had gotten a couple of months ago with Buffy at Bath & Body. She'd only used it once, but it had felt wonderful! She grinned merrily and clutched it to her chest along with the bottles. < This night is getting better! >

Willow went to the bathtub and turned on the water making sure it was nice and warm. She added the bubble soap once the water had begun to fill the tub, and little by little the delicate, translucent domes sprang up. While the tub was filling, she quickly went to the closet and brought out a soft towel to dry of on later. The last of the items checked off her mental list, she got undressed, shut off the water, and stepped into the foamy tub bringing the body sponge with her.

Once the water surrounded her, Willow leaned against the back of the tub enjoying the feel of the bubbles brushing against her skin for a moment. < This feels so good. I really should take one of these more often!~ > After a few minutes, she began to scrub with the sponge to take any of the grim from the day off. Then she grabbed the shampoo bottle and squirted its contents on her hand. Willow worked it into her hair washed it out and did the same with the conditioner.

"Oh, I feel so much better..." she sighed as she stepped out of the bath, dried off and wrapped the towel around her body. Willow pulled the stopper from the drain and walked out into her room. Then she slipped into her Felix the Cat nightshirt and towel dried her hair before sitting on the bed. With her mind now clear, she would be able to actually get past the first two pages in the book.

Willow looked at the book on her bed. < Who would think that someone who sees vampires and demons virtually every day would like to read about them in their spare time just for fun. > "Oh well..." she sighed, drawing Mr. Goggles up into her arms. "Looks like it's you, me, and a book tonight, boy."

She lay down on her back and snuggled the bunny under her right arm, grabbed the book and opened it to the second page where she had left off. She began to read and frowned. Apparently the first time she read it she wasn't paying much attention, because she had no idea who this Flora girl was. She shrugged her way up her pillow to get the light to illuminate the pages better. When she finally achieved her goal, her position was less the comfortable, so Willow decided to just lay on her stomach. < I need to get a brighter bulb... >
While rolling over onto her stomach, Willow heard a knock on her French doors. She glanced up wondering who would stop by at ten o'clock at night. < Who do I know that would come to my window at night? Xander? But he's out with Cordelia... > Willow smiled as the realization hit her. < Angel! > Just a month and a half ago, him showing up at her doors would have scared her to death, but with his soul back, she had begun to trust him again.

She scampered out of bed, careful not to trip in the dim lighting, and went to the doors. Just to make sure it was him, Willow peeked out her lace curtains. Sure enough, there was Angel, who smirked as he saw the small girl. She opened the doors slowly and invited him in. "Hi, Angel. Uh, what are you doing here?" She quickly glanced at herself in the mirror to make sure nothing that wasn't supposed to be showing was. "Need some research done on a new boyfriend?" she teased meekly.

Angel's dark, mournful eyes peered into hers. "Buffy has a boyfriend?" He sounded like he wasn't all that surprised.

Willow shook her head quickly and assured him. "No, no, no, no! I was just kidding. It's just that, um, that last time you came over, well before the time... uh, with the fish," she added quickly not wanting to dwell on the memory of the envelope and fish, fearing that would upset him. "You had me look up one of her old boyfriends that was in town. Remember? Ford?" She perked up on the last few words trying to cover for the fish slip up.

The vampire's face lightened a little. "Oh." He smirked grimly, casting his gaze downward. "Yeah."

Willow looked at him feeling guilty. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to upset you like--"

"It's okay," Angel looked back up at Willow and began to put a reassuring hand on her shoulder but hesitated and dropped his hand back to his side. "I'm really sorry about your fish. And almost killing you that night--"

"Angel!" Willow frowned. "That wasn't your fault, but if it makes you feel any better, I forgive you." She offered him a warm smile. She knew that that wasn't him those times and had forgiven him soon after though some of the things Angelus had done still pained her.

He looked doubtful but nodded his thanks. "You're too good to me, Willow."

"I'm only doing what I'd do for any of my friends," she told him. "And you're one of them."

He let go of his fears momentarily and hugged her. "Thank you," he said, though it was muffled by her hair.

"So what's wrong?" Willow asked as he drew away from the embrace. He cast her a questioning glance. "Why'd you decide to stop by?" she elaborated. The hacker made her way over to her bed to sit down and offered Angel a spot as well. He accepted and sat beside her.

Angel shook his head. "I don't know what to do. One day Buffy's happy to see me, and the next... she acts like-- like she wants me to just go away."

"Buffy... She's still having a hard time..." Willow faltered. "It may take her a while...for her to...you know..."

"I know," Angel's voice died off and got up and went to put Mr. Goggles on the computer desk.

"Oh... " She said nervously, hoping that he wasn't getting angry at her for being, well... depressing. She began to fidget a little, toying with a strand of her long hair.

The vampire glanced up at her. "Is something wrong, Willow?"

She fidgeted under his gaze. "Wrong?" she asked with a weak smile. His face was shadowed like it had been *that* night at the school. She knew it wasn't the same, but she couldn't help the déjà vu image invoking old fear. < Calm down, girl! He's *not* Angelus anymore. You know that! >

"You're fidgeting," he observed.

Willow looked at him blankly for a second and he motioned to her hand holding auburn lock. Realizing what he was talking about, she let go of it and offered another timid smile. "Am I making you nervous?" Angel leaned forward a bit and raised a concerned eyebrow. After a moment of her opening and closing her mouth like a fish Angel sighed. "Maybe I should go." He began to walk towards the balcony.

"No!" Willow yelped. "It's just that-- Well... um, I just had this recurring vision of... us... at, uh, the school... Not that I think you're going to do anything to me..."

"You have every right to be afraid of me."

"Don't say that, Angel," Willow scolded him lightly. "We've already covered this! It wasn't you who did those things... it was a demon." Angel turned his head away from her. "It's just a memory that I don't much care for." This was one of the rare times where she felt anger slowly building up at his obtuseness. An anger to testify her convictions... and rather loudly at that. "We knew it wasn't you, Angel! It was Angelus!" Willow practically yelled. < Thank God Mom and Dad aren't here! >

"Angel and Angelus are the same person," he told her slowly and deliberately. "We're the same person."

"No! That's way beyond not true. You would never hurt us! There may be no physical separation between you and him, but there is a difference: you care for others. He doesn't. You *aren't* the same person. You've said so yourself, 'The demon takes control of the body'!

Angel looked away once Willow had paused. "You don't know how many times I've wished that were true..."

"But it is true. You have started over. You have a new life with new people who care about you. Me and, even though it's hard to tell sometimes, Buffy, Giles, Xander, and Cordelia all want you to be happy. We care about you. I don't want you to keep living in self-recrimination and I bet they don't want you to either. They're upset... they're grieving and you just happen to have the same face as the cause of their pain." She grimaced inwardly at her harsh words and unwise phrasing. "Angel, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way... It's just that- that you deserve to let people trust you and love you..." Willow glanced down at her lap shocked at what she was about to say, but wasn't able to able to stop it before it came out, "like I do."

Angel snapped his gaze back to Willow amazed at her sentimental words for him. He had had an intention to respond to her words and tell her she was wrong, but now he couldn't. "Willow, I-I don't know what to say..."

"Like...like a brother or a good friend, that is," she added hurriedly as an afterthought, feeling the blood rush to her cheeks once again. < Uh oh... He's looking at me like I've just grown a second head. > Willow retreated away from his eyes feeling awkward. "I mean--"

"Willow," Angel stated quietly. "I know what you're trying to say, but I'm having a really hard time going through this again." His eyes misted over a little as he paused. "It's been such a long time since anyone has really cared about me, I'm not used to feeling wanted. And after all I've d--" Angel caught himself, "All that's happened..." He looked to her for understanding, not remembering the last time he had been this close to crying except when he'd almost lost Buffy. It wasn't the same kind of urge to cry. That was sorrow, this was... was for joy, in an odd way.

Willow had never seen Angel this emotional. Sure she knew that he regretted, but not that he could cry, and seeing him close to doing so, she felt guilty thinking that they were tears of pain. She tried to push away the feelings of guilt she had for making him feel so vulnerable but they wouldn't go. She touched his hand lightly, reassuringly. "I'm sorry for upsetting you, that's not what I was trying to do. I just feel you shouldn't be so hard on yourself. I-I just don't understand why you wrack yourself with guilt that isn't yours. I mean, there's no way you can take back what Angelus has done, but you have been trying to atone and make things better where you can like before, now." Willow sighed unsure of how he would take this, betting that he would say something like he hasn't been punished enough, but instead, he sat there silently looking at her.

"I don't see how you or anyone could still care for me, but I'm glad to have someone that does, even though I don't know why." He smiled faintly, almost cryptically while wiping at the red tears that had begun to slide down his cheek. "Thank you, Willow."

To her surprise, Angel pulled her into a tight embrace for the second time that evening and held her there for a moment saying nothing, but there was no need for words. She knew that he was truly grateful of her small speech and that it had brought them closer together.

In Angel's mind, he had always considered her his friend, but things were changing rapidly. She was forgiving and kind when others turned their backs though she had always accepted him. He thought of her more like a best friend now. That was something he'd try to live up to.

A pain in her chest brought Willow out of her thoughts, and she realized that her lungs were being deprived of oxygen for too long. "Angel," she gasped teasingly, "need to get a breath, and then we could go back to hugging."

He released her and smiled. "Sorry, forgot about that."

Willow waved him off, and with almost a Xander-like quality quipped, "Think nothing of it. As a matter of fact, I was thinking about giving it up, but old habits die hard." Angel chuckled and she smiled. < He smiles! Score one for the Slayerette. >

"So, what were you doing before I came over?" Angel quietly asked trying to kill the silence that was beginning to engulf the room after their emotional growth had subsided.

Willow glanced around the room looking for the book after having forgotten where she had put it. "I was trying to read a book I just got, but I couldn't get passed the first few pages."

"I never knew you were illiterate," Angel teased lightly, sitting down on her bed again.

< He jokes! He must be feeling a little better. >Willow smiled and shook her head. "No. I had other thoughts on my mind."

Angel didn't ask what she had been thinking about; knowing full well that it was probably about Xander, or that new Oz guy. Oz seemed to be a nice kid and was much like Willow to the respect that he was quiet and intelligent. Despite the werewolf factor, which was a major problem, Oz seemed like the perfect match. Angel watched Willow move about the room and sighed. She was such a sweet, brave girl. He stopped staring when he noticed Willow glancing at him with a raised eyebrow, curious as to why he was silently watching her. "What's it called?" he asked indicating the book on the floor by the bed.

"Oh," Willow picked up the novel and sat back down beside Angel. "A Past Recalled," she replied handing it to him.

"It any good?"

"From what I've read it's okay, but I don't think I can really judge it yet solely based on the first sentence or two."

He glanced up at her after reading the summary on the back of the book, eyebrows up, amusement playing across his face. "A vampire novel?"

Willow blushed for what seemed the millionth time that night. "Okay, so I'm weird like that." She studied his face as he flipped it open to the first page and an odd question popped into her mind; one that she'd always been curious about. < I hope he doesn't mind me asking after all that's happened and spoil everything... > "Uh, Angel?"

"Hm?"

"Uh... how do you do that face-thingy?"

He looked up at her confused. "'Face-thingy'?"

"You know, where you... well, when you go grr." She helped him understand her meaning by scrunching her nose, making a scowl, and baring her teeth.

"Oh, that," he snorted and a frown fell across his brow. "It's sort of like a controlled reflex, like frowning." He gestured to his face. In a split second it had morphed into that of a vampire's then back to his face, making her jump slightly. "I can do it on command now, but it took a while to learn how to make it come and go at will. Why do you ask?" His eyebrows remained knitted.

"Oh, uh, um... I was just wondering," she said after a moment.

Angel chuckled softly. "Oh." He shook his head with a smile still on his lips and went back to reading.

"Actually," she began to admit, "I think it's sorta cool, in one of those demented, morbid type ways."

"Cool?" The question came without him looking up.

"Yeah. Well, it's just... neat to see happen, but kinda scary." < Geez, I sound stupid. > I mean, if I could do that, nobody'd attack me at night," she fumbled.

"It's not worth the price," Angel smirked at her while his eyes continued to skim over the pages. "Anyway, you don't have to worry about being attacked. I'm usually out there making sure you guys get around safely; lurking around when I'm not seen."

"Oh, I know, but still I think it's neat," Willow sighed. They sat there for a few more moments before Angel grunted. "What's wrong?"

"This seems familiar somehow..." Angel flipped ahead to the next chapter and froze after scanning the page. "I don't believe it..." He looked back up at the small girl next to him with an unreadable expression on his face. "I'm in this book, Willow."

End Part 1

Buffy swung her legs back and forth as she perched on the top of the cemetery wall. The whole week had been going very slow. Slow as in she hadn't staked a vampire in three days. Normally, she would kill two or three on a 'good' night, but that's about the amount she had killed in total for the week. The Slayer sighed as she looked around one more time, sweeping her eyes over the two new graves, looking for any sign of movement. Nothing.

"I've been waiting here for three hours now, and if they haven't popped up yet, I don't think their gonna. Giles is *so* gonna be in for it for having me waste my night sitting in a graveyard," she muttered to herself as she deftly jumped down from the wall. "I mean, it's cold out, I'm tired, I'm hungry, and nobody's here to help me keep watch! I--" her diatribe trailed off as the familiar prickling sensation on the nape of her neck and the smell of freshly turned earth filled her nostrils. < They're up. Both of them... 'bout time! >

Buffy spun around to meet her opponents, fixing them with an impatient glare. "Finally! Do you have any idea how long I've been waiting for you and your friend over there to show? Three hours! Do you have *any* idea of how absolutely boring that is?"

The male growled, brandishing his new-fledged fangs. "No, but I'm glad you stayed. Feel special, you get to be my first meal."

Angrily, the female vampire turned to the male and hissed. "She's mine!"

He uttered a guttural sound in response but didn't do anything to retaliate.

"Could we stop with the grr-ing and act like civilized people? Er, vampires, in y'all's case," the Slayer asked drawing the vampires' attention back to her. "And another thing, I'm not yours," Buffy informed the girl and looked towards the male. "Why should you listen to her? Are you going to let *her* tell you who you can kill and you can't? If I were you, I wouldn't let some girl order me around."

At that, he leapt at Buffy before the female had a chance to move, but she soon began to run forward as she realized his intent.

When the male vampire was close enough, Buffy dropped down onto her back, placed a foot on his stomach, grabbed his shoulders, and pulled back, flipping him over her head. She promptly pulled out a stake and stood up in time to catch the oncoming female in the heart, sending up a cloud of shimmering dust and a dying roar.

"Ladies first!" Buffy quipped. Letting a grin spread across her face, she turned to the remaining vampire, who was just getting up. "Looks like you're friend had to leave, but now you an' me can play!"

He glanced between her and the quickly dispersing cloud and judged that it was best to go and find easier prey. The vampire spun around and began to run away haphazardly as fast as his legs would carry him.

"Aw, come on! All I want to do is stake you so I can get home, eat, and sleep. Is that too much to ask for?" Buffy yelled after him as they ran through the cemetery and onto the quiet streets of Sunnydale. She watched him round the corner into an alley and followed picking up speed. < Are they getting dumber, or is it just me? > She ran past the corner and sprang into the alleyway ready to slam the stake home, but the was no one there besides her.

"Hey, David Copperfield, where'd ya go?" she asked loudly. Buffy looked around carefully as she walked further into the darkened area expecting an ambush but saw no trace of the vampire. She turned in a steady circle twice checking for ways to escape. There were no doors to go through, no fences to climb, and no manholes to go down... just a dumpster. Buffy smiled and stealthily went over to the trash-bin raising her stake. With a quick motion of her hand, the lid was thrown open and she stepped up to strike... Nothing happened. Confused, she looked into the bin seeing nothing but paper and other garbage. "What the...?"

A sharp kick to the leg, brought Buffy to her knees. She groaned and looked up into the face of a vampire but not the one she had been chasing. This one was a female in her late teens or early twenties with brown hair and the all too familiar yellow eyes and ridged brow of a demon. "Hello, Slayer."

"I'd say hello, but you're about to leave," Buffy snidely remarked as she stood and brought her left fist around to punch the demon, but the vampire caught it effortlessly.

"My, aren't we the cocky one. Do you have any idea who I am, Slayer?" the female asked while a grin plastered itself to her face making her look even more vicious. "Or should I say... Buffy?"

Buffy's eyes widened and she gasped. "How do you know my name?"

The vampire smiled demurely as if she had a big secret. "Not tellin'." She squeezed harder on Buffy's arm. "I know you, but do you know me?"

"No, and I don't really care to get aquatinted either," Buffy said as she pulled her arm free from the demon's grasp receiving a wicked scratch on her forearm from its claws in the process. "Like I said before, you're about to go away... permanently." She held the stake tighter in her hand as she raised it and arched it toward the vampire's heart. The stake never reached its destination because it was knocked away, out of Buffy's hands.

"Really, now... You thought I'd be *that* easy to kill?" the vampire mocked with a throaty laugh grabbing Buffy by her shoulders, spinning her around and placing her in a headlock. "*He* taught me how to deal with Slayers, girl. He *was* the best... it's pathetic to see him now."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Buffy asked as she struggled to get free, wrenching at the woman's arms. "Who's this *he*?! I mean, apparently you want me to know since you keep bringing Him up so just tell me who this He is already or shut up!"

The vampire sneered and threw Buffy back towards the wall. "Oh, you know who. I know you know," she responded cryptically. Her grinning face seemed to glow in the dark as she sank back into the shadows and disappeared.

Buffy stood there unsure of what to do and expect. This had *never* happened before, except when Angel stopped by with messages. But of course he never attacked her. < Angel. > She was still unsure about him. She wanted to believe that he was here to stay, and never let anything hurt her again. But now was not the time. Buffy pushed all thoughts of Angel aside; there were matters at hand to deal with. Buffy paused a second wandering if it was worth chasing after her to beat the vampire into submission and tell her who He was. Too late. The option was swept away as she was hit full on by the male vampire that had disappeared just moments ago. She fell onto her back; arms pinned helplessly to her sides. She noticed her stake a few feet away. "Where did you get off to earlier?! You weren't anywhere near here a second ago."

"That's for me to know and for you never to find out," it growled leaning towards her neck, his bloodlust evident in his eyes. "You smell sweet," he smiled pointing to her forearm. "I bet you're delicious... Mind if I have a taste?"

"Yeah right!" Buffy head-butted him and flipped him off of herself, rising in one fluid movement while grabbing her stake with an outstretched arm.

Blood gushed from his nose while he touched it gingerly to see if it was injured. He stood and pulled his bloodied hand away with a snarl. "You brodh md node, bidth!" He grated, sounding like he had rocks in his throat and paper up his nose. Buffy shuddered as he licked some of the blood off and proceeded to walk to walk towards him.

"Ugggghhhhh..." She grimaced. "That is one of the grossest displays I have *ever* seen." Buffy grabbed the lapels of his jacket and pulled the vampire forward poking him hard in the chest with the dull end of the stake in her hand. "I think I'll kill you now." With that, she flipped the stake she was holding and aimed the point towards his heart and thrust. A cloud of dust exploded in front of her. "Now, on to the library to see if the ever faithful Watcher knows anything about psycho-vampire women..."
  
A car sat parked on the cliff, overlooking the town of Sunnydale but the two teens inside weren't there for the view. Cordelia held the back of Xander's head firmly pressing her lips against his. They had been there for twenty minutes and Cordelia had finally taken action when Xander wouldn't shut up about the slayer and other Slayerette. He had talked non-stop for fifteen minutes seemingly oblivious to the amorous flirting Cordelia had been doing. The boy was as dense as a steel safe and the only thing that would shut him up was to have his mouth covered. Thankfully, she was in a good mood and silenced him with her lips and not a fist.

"Xander," Cordelia moaned as their lips separated. "Please?" Xander, still in a trance from the unexpected kiss, sat there slack-jawed and glassy-eyed with a faint smile on his lips. Cordelia smiled. < Finally! > "Kiss now, talk later." She reached forward and pulled his parted lips to hers when a twig snapped outside the car. She paused but continued to close the distance between the male opposite of her when the sound did not repeat itself.

Her lips had just brushed his when there was a rustle. < That's it! > Cordelia's eyes shot open and she glared at Xander who sat there confused. "One thing after another!" She fumed.

Xander frowned at her wondering why she had pulled away. < Is it my breath? > He exhaled slowly, trying to assess his breath without her noticing.

"Your mouth tastes like Menthos," she sighed, noticing. "It's just that I'd like to get some kissage before I'm twenty!"

"What are you talking about? We were kissing."

The May Queen rolled her eyes her patience wearing thin. "I'm talking about you not shutting your hole for half an hour yammering on and on about Buffy: Warrior Princess and Willow the Wonderful, and when you finally do some pervert is watching from the bushes! God, get a clue, will you?" She crossed her arms across her chest. "Besides, the only reason we *have* kissed tonight is because that's the only way I could get you to shut up!"

"I was just--" He stopped as he heard the snapping not far from where they were parked. "You think it's Wolf boy again?"

Cordelia snorted derisively. "Check the moon, moron, it's not full. It's probably just some sicko who can't get any so they watch others."

Xander's adolescent mind was racing. "Get any?"

"Pubescent much? You're definitely not getting any from me. It's just a term. Get your mind out of the gutter. I wouldn't want to say a loser like you was my first," she finished with a sneer, glaring out into the night having forgotten about the lurker momentarily.

Xander was about to make a lude comment when there was a loud thump and Cordelia grabbed him and screamed. "Wha--" began as she gripped the sides of his face and turned him to face the windshield. That's when he saw a leering face peering back at them. "Oh shit," he muttered. "Cordelia!" The petrified girl looked at him frantically. This was all too familiar. "Floor it!"

Cordelia let go of Xander and fumble with the key in the ignition trying to start the cold engine. "Come on," she pleaded shakily as the vampire began to crawl towards the convertible's top. "If anything happens to this car again my Dad'll kill me!" Finally, there was a click and the engine growled into life. She shifted into reverse, floored the gas pedal. Like the time when Oz had attacked, the vampire tried to hang on but was around with the momentum of the cars fast movement. Cordelia went back a little further when she slammed on the brakes, shifted into drive and put the pedal to the metal once more, steering the car to left. She looked back but saw nothing. Sighing in relief, she flew onto the road a headed towards the library.

Xander sat eyes wide and gripping the seat like it was his lifeline. "Cordy, I think we've lost it. Can we come out of warp speed, now?"

End Part 2
 

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