Forever, Always, and Then Some

Chapter Eight

There is a knock at the front door.

Buffy: I hope the reverend didn’t change his mind.

Buffy opens the door and sees Tara.

Buffy: Hi Tara, I almost forgot you were coming in all the other excitement.

Tara: You did say it was important. Right?

Buffy: Very. Just a lot is happening around here. Come on in and we will fill you in.

Willow walks up.

Willow: Hi Tara I did not know you were coming over. Buffy, what are you up to?

Buffy: Nothing. We just needed to ask Tara for a favor. I am not trying to set anyone up. Well unless you guys want me to.

Tara and Willow are silent.

Buffy: Tara come in I want you to meet someone. Well, actually two someones.

They walk into the living room. Angel stands up with Liam.

Buffy: Tara, this is Angel, I know you have heard us talk about him.

Tara: The vampire? The one you use to date?

Buffy: Yes. And the little guy with him is Liam, our son. And before you think I have fallen off my rocker let me explain.

Everyone sits back down and Buffy tells the story to an amazed Tara. Willow sits back just watching her former lover.

Tara: Buffy I do not know what to say…..I guess congratulations should come first for both the baby and the wedding.

Buffy: Thanks Tara. Now I need a big favor. I just told you how these people want the baby because they think he is some prophecy come to pass. Well until we can defuse the situation, I was hoping you could possibly put a protection spell on the house. Something to keep them out, especially when neither Angel or I am here.

Tara: I am not sure. Why didn’t you ask Willow? She is a much better wicca than I will ever be and well she is right here.

Buffy: Willow has given up magic. She realized that….well you know….she was getting out of control.

Willow leaves the room.

Tara: Completely? Nothing?

Buffy: I think it was the only way, anyone who is addicted knows the only way is cold turkey.

Tara: How long?

Buffy: Not long but she is taking it one day at a time….so you see I can not ask her to help even though I know she would do it if I did.

Tara: Sure but I am not sure if I can do it myself. I am not even sure which spell would work the best. But all of them will have to be reinforced daily.

Buffy: I know but it won’t be forever, we hope to convince everyone to back off soon. Not quite sure how but we have a few ideas.

Willow walks back in and hands a book to Tara.

Willow: The one you need is on page 57.

Willow walks back out. Tara looks up the spell and carefully reads it.

Tara: I actually think I can handle this, but I will need to come by each night and repeat it. Does Willow still have her supplies?

Buffy: We put them in a trunk in the basement. If something is missing, I will get it from the shop. Can you do it tonight?

Tara: Sure, are you going out?

Buffy: Angel and I are going on patrol, Willow and Dawn are watching Liam.

Tara: Well let me look at the supplies.

We see Tara and Dawn spreading a line of powder completely around the house. Angel and Buffy stay outside the circle while Tara cast the spell.

Tara: Buffy, I will stay until you get back, so I can let you in. Be careful

Buffy: Thanks, we will. (turns to Angel) Ready lover?

Angel: I love when you call me that….sounds like old times.

Buffy: Okay Angelus lets get hoofing.

They take off on patrol.

Later we see Angel making a pass through the cemetery. He pauses as he senses someone behind him. He turns.

Holtz: I finally tracked you down again. A little far from home aren’t you? (Holtz holds his crossbow pointed at Angel)

Angel: Not really, I use to live here and I have friends and family here.

Holtz: You have no family and I doubt if you have any friends.

Angel: You would be wrong on both parts.

Holtz: Well all your friends will find of you and your girlfriend is two piles of dust.

Angel: If you are referring to Darla, she is already dust.

Holtz: Somehow, I do not believe you. But does not matter I will track her down eventually. Might even use you as bait. She so loves to rescue her man.

Suddenly a foot kicks the crossbow from his hand. Buffy grabs Holtz by the throat and pins him against a crypt.

Buffy: That would be my man, not Darla’s.

Angel: Holtz, let me introduce you to my fiancé.

Holtz: Got yourself another little whore to try to protect you?

Holtz whips a bottle of holy water out and throws it in Buffy’s face.

Buffy: That was rude. (she turns toward Angel) See what I mean about water, and me I am always getting wet.

Holtz: You are not a vampire. Who the hell are you?

Buffy: I’m Buffy, the vampire slayer and I guess you would be Holtz, the thorn in Angel’s side.

Holtz: You are the slayer and you are protecting a vampire. I think you are confused. You are suppose destroy them not help them.

Buffy slowly releases Holtz.

Buffy: But I do destroy them, but Angel is not any ordinary vampire. He has a soul just like you and me. I understand he did a lot of terrible things to you and to others but that was over 200 years ago. He is not the same man.

Holtz: He is not a man, he is a demon.

Buffy: That is where you are wrong. He is a man, in everyway that really matters. What Darla did to him 250 years ago was not his fault. But what he has become today is all his doing.

Holtz: A demon is a demon and will always be so. No soul can change what he is or what he has done.

Buffy: If he is so awful, then how come so many people would go out of their way to protect him. Why do so many people love him? I am talking humans, not demons. We love Angel, and would sacrifice our own lives for him as he would for us.

Holtz: Angel, you have really convinced this girl that you are something worth something. I hate to destroy her illusion. Should I tell her all the vile things you are capable of?

Buffy: I know full well what he is capable of. A few years ago, due to my own stupidity, he lost that soul for a few months and returned to his former demonic self and wrecked havoc with my life. But we were able to find the curse and restore his soul once again. So I do know what he was, but that is past..

Holtz: You are very stupid little girl. You can forgive him just like that.

Buffy: No not just like that, I actually sent him to hell first.

Holtz: You sent him to Hell?

Angel: It was actually my fault, I kinda opened this portal and well the only way to close it was to shove my sorry ass into it. Ironic part is she shoved me in right after they restored my soul. Actually I should still be there.

Holtz: So how did you escape?

Angel: This evil spirit brought me back, hoping it could convince me to kill Buffy, but that would never happen. I love her more than my own life.

Holtz: You actually love someone, someone other than yourself…..I really doubt it.

At that moment Angel’s cell phone rings.

Angel: Hello. Wesley? Oh, okay, we are on it.

Angel hangs up.

Angel: Well the powers seem to know where I am, Cordy got a vision for us honey, vampire party at the Bronze.

Buffy: Lets go. Holtz, want to dust a few vamps, then come on.

She picks up Holtz cross bow and the take off running toward the Bronze. Buffy stops and turns toward a crypt.

Angel: What are you doing?

Buffy: Getting more backup.

She opens the door and goes in. She shoves the coffin lid open.

Buffy: Spike! If you want to kick some demon butt, vampire’s have crashed the Bronze.

She runs back out and they dash on to the Bronze. They stand in front of the locked doors.

Angel: Skylight?

Spike walks up.

Buffy: Knew you would love a demon throw down.

Angel: Buffy, are we going up or what.

Buffy: No need to use the skylight, Gus got tired of me breaking doors and windows…..I got a key. Now let me go in first and get their attention. Holtz if I give you your cross bow back you better not hurt Angel.

Holtz: Fine…..for now. Now lets stop the killing.

Buffy unlocks the door. She walks in. She dust the vampire guarding the door.

Buffy: HEY!!!

Everyone looks toward the door and Buffy slowly walks in.

Buffy: When will you guys learn that this crap won’t fly in my town.

Vampire: Slayer, I was hoping you would show up.

She is surrounded. With the vampires focused on Buffy, Angel is able to get some of the people out the door but when he sees her surrounded he starts to go in but Holtz stops him and uses his crossbow to thin the crowd by three.

Angel: Good shooting.

The vampires rush Buffy. The men rush the vampires. The people flood out the doors. Soon there is only two vampires left standing, Angel and Spike. All the people have escaped. Gus walks out from behind the counter.

Gus: Thanks, Buffy. So glad you guys showed up.

Buffy: Thank the Powers Gus they sent us.

Gus: Not to much damage this time. Hey the glass counter is in one piece, that is a first. Can I get everyone something to drink?

Buffy looks around. Spike has already taken off.

Buffy: I could go for a double mocha latte…(she catches Angel’s look)….decaf.

Gus: Decaf? Okay Guys?

Angel: I’ll take a decaf cappuccino.

Buffy: Holtz?

Holtz: What are you folks talking about.

Buffy: Coffee. How do you like you coffee? Cream? Sugar?

Holtz: Plain. Black. But it is a little late for coffee, you will never get any sleep.

Buffy: Hence the decaf.

Holtz: What?

Buffy: Caffeine is what is in coffee that makes you stay awake, they now have coffee without it. Gus get him a black decaf.

Holtz: Coffee that does not wake you up, why bother?

Buffy: For the taste.

The unusual trio sit a sip their coffees. Angel gets up and walks over to the juke box and feeds it a coin and picks a song. Angel walks back to the table and holds out his hand.

Angel: Buffy, dance with me?

The couple dance to the slow love song. Afterwards they say good night to Gus and head home with Holtz still tagging along.

Angel: (whispers) What are we going to do with him?

Buffy: (whispers) Not sure but maybe we should use the adage keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

Angel: (whispers)Take him home with us?

Buffy: (whispers) Any better ideas? As long as we know where he is he can get away with much.

Angel: (whispers) Fine, but you can’t marry a pile of dust

Buffy: Holtz, if we let you sleep on the sofa, can I have your promise not to hurt anyone. Be assured I have never killed a human, but if anything happens to Angel I am sure to make an exception.

Angel: You have never killed a human but you did put one the hospital for eight months.

Buffy: True, but she deserved it, she tried to kill you. Not her smartest move.

Holtz: You almost killed another woman over him? What has he done to earn such devotion?

Buffy: He’s Angel.

They arrive at the house. Angel uses the cell phone to call inside. Tara comes out and lowers the barrier so they can come in and immediately puts it back up.

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