Rating- pg13
Warning- angst abounds
Pairing: Spike/Angel
Summery: what if Spike and not Darla had found Angel the night he was ensouled?
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Buffy looked at the outfit in the mirror. She hated the style but she knew she looked damn good. Walking slowly down the stairs she tried to be as quiet as she could, fearing what her mother would make of the outfit. The door was three feet away when she heard the voice.
"Buffy what are you wearing?" asked Joyce Summers. Turning slowly Buffy was confronted by the sight of her mother examining her. Looking down at the truly short leather skirt and shredded black tee-shirt she figured the truth was best. Well, the edited truth. She thought for a moment and just as she was about to speak, Joyce beat her to it. "I'll start for you: There's a boy."
"And he's really cute, and he would never go for peppy little Buffy." Said Buffy.
Joyce smiled her most condescending smile. "One day, honey, you're gonna realize that you like boys who like you for you."
"You're so right, Mom, one day! Can I go?" she asked desperate to get to the bronze.
"What's his name?" asked Joyce crossing her arms and interrogating as she thought Buffy was hiding something, which she was.
"Angel."
"How did you meet him?"
"At the Bronze."
"How old is he?"
"A little older than me."
"How little?"
"He's a freshman at SU." Lied Buffy thinking her mother would berate her for this and then she could leave.
"Buffy, Don't you think that's a little old? I don't really like this." Said Joyce taking the lie hook, line, and sinker.
"Yes, but I'll be careful. You trust me right? And Willow will be there. You trust her right?"
Joyce sighed heavily, "Go on then. Home by twelve."
~~~*~~~
"How did you get out of the house like that?" asked Xander as he laid eyes on her.
"I slayed my mother." Said Buffy dryly. "Have either of you seen Angel? I want to talk to him."
"And mother his undead spawn?" Asked Xander.
"Eventually."
"Buffy, I want to be supportive friend and all. But isn't he kinda with that Spike guy?"
"So?"
"So not only are you trying to get him to leave his significant other, you're trying to change his sexuality." Explained X.
Willow shot Xander a look for his bluntness but nodded at the message. "I mean, he's a vampire and don't they do that whole mate thing? Like he's bonded to that Spike guy? Those bonds are really hard to break."
"He could do it if he wants to." Said Buffy stiffly.
"What's the likelihood that he wants to?" asked Xander.
"Wow, I'm so glad I have such supportive friends." Said Buffy sarcastically as she got up upon seeing Angel and unfortunately, Spike enter. She bounded up to them and at the last minute remembered that she was NOT desperate. And said, "Oh! Angel, hi, I didn't expect to see you here."
Spike growled slightly under his nonexistent breath but upon seeing Angel roll his eyes ever so slightly he just smirked at the girl in his predatory manner. "Buffy, it's wonderful to see you, dear," he said in a patronizing tone. Angel gave his hand a slight reassuring squeeze asking Spike to back off a little. Suddenly he was bored like the cat that is declawed and muzzled two minutes after being put in the pet mouse's cage. He sighed, saw a guy with a lot of shiny piercings, and wandered away.
Angel watched his childe with a smile and then turned to Buffy feeling slightly annoyed that she was still there. "What is it, Buffy?" he asked coldly he noticed her outfit and added. "What the hell happened to that shirt? Or is it a rag you tied on?"
"The Harvest?" asked Buffy ignoring the statement but blushing despite herself, "I've read everything on it. But none of it says when it is more than some St.'s day."
"It's happening this Saturday." He said uninterested. "Was that all?" he inquired.
"Well, all the shoptalk yeah." Said Buffy trying to ignore his attitude. "Would you like to dance with me?" she asked.
Angel looked at her in an appraising manner and after a moment said, "No." He scanned the bar for Spike and said. "I'm gonna go find my BOYFRIEND. I'll see you later, Buffy." He turned away without a second look at her.
Buffy thought it was actually a good thing that he wasn't watching her as she was burning scarlet. Willow saw her and gave her a empathetic look. "Do you want a coffee?" she asked as Buffy sat down.
"Can we just leave?" she asked with tears in her eyes.