Aftershocks (3/?)

[sombrerogiles@xxxxxxxxxxx]

Title: Aftershocks
Author: Aly
Rating: PG-13ish
Author's Notes: Sequel to `Euphemism'. How will Buffy cope with her 
new vampirism, and how will her friends respond? Sorry for the 
shortness and/or quality of this. I'm feeling physically sick after 
receiving my coursework assignments for History and Geography...


I was stunned, to say the least. Angel was here?
"Wha-" I started, but was cut off yet again by my ex-lover's boot 
connecting with my jawbone. I gasped as I flew back and hit the 
pavement. I could hear him advancing on me, so I kicked my legs up 
and over my head, effectively back-flipping to my feet. "I am getting 
REALLY tired of people doing that!" I yelled, as I blocked a punch 
and elbowed him in the face. He staggered backwards and I gave him no 
room to recover, following up with a roundhouse to his face before 
sweeping his legs out from under him. I stared at him in disgust for 
a second before turning to walk off in the opposite direction. Almost 
immediately I hissed as I came face to face with Xander and his 
crucifix&again!
"Where d'you think you're going sweetie?" He asked menacingly, 
thrusting the cross forward. It brushed the exposed skin on my chest 
lightly, and left a painful red burn mark in its wake. I cried out in 
pain and stumbled back, my head bowed low. At the sound of my pain, 
Xander lowered his crucifix and took a step towards me. "Buffy?" With 
inhuman speed my arm shot out and grasped the boy's forearm. I could 
feel the bones straining under the pressure my delicate finger placed 
on it, hear them groaning in protest. Then came that satisfying snap. 
The another, and another, and another. Xander cried out in agony as I 
decimated his bone structure in his left arm.
"The name is Anne." I said viciously, tightening my hold. Finally I 
decided he'd had enough, and delivered a solid kick to his temple. He 
was unconscious before he hit the floor, and I bent down to retrieve 
his stake. That only left soul-boy for me to contend with. My head 
snapped up as I heard a rustling, and immediately my eyes went to 
where Angel had fallen. He was gone. I scanned the area cautiously, 
standing up fully. Suddenly, it clicked. I looked up just in time to 
see a trenchcoat-clad Angel falling on me. We both growled as our 
bodies crunched together, and I went toppling to the floor. My head 
hit the ground hard, and my vision became hazy. I knew I was 
bleeding, I could smell it. That and the fact that when I looked over 
the side of my face became moistened. I groaned and tried to sit up, 
but I was hit by a dizzy spell and I fell back. I could distantly 
hear the sounds of punches being thrown, and a familiar feminine 
growl.
"Willow?" I asked, pushing through the pain clouded barriers my mind 
had erected. It hurt to talk, but I had to know if she was there. I 
knew I'd be safe if she was there. I faintly heard Angel shouting 
something like "both kill you", before I felt myself being lifted and 
carried somewhere. I gazed upwards into the arms of my saviour, and 
saw the familiar head of red hair. I nestled my head into her embrace 
and thought comforting thoughts, thoughts of how I'd kill those two. 
I faded in and out of sleep on the long journey back to the mansion, 
fighting to stay conscious yet yearning for the bliss of sleep.
"It's okay, we're home." Willow said as she kicked the door to our 
bedroom open. She laid me on the bed gently, and snuggled up beside 
me, stroking my hair back from my pale, sweating face. "I'm gonna 
take care of you, Anne."
Angel watched the display from outside of the mansion for a few 
seconds before silently blending back into the shadows.

===================

Giles was sitting at his desk, leafing through yet another yellowing 
page from yet another yellowing tome in his extensive collection. He 
took a sip from the hot drink positioned next to him as his eyes 
scanned the text. He had that feeling he always managed to receive 
before he found something crucial, the thing he was searching for. 
Without warning his door flew open and Angel stumbled in, carrying a 
wounded Xander. Giles rose from his chair and drop his pen, before 
hurrying over.
"What happened?" He asked, helping Angel to guide the boy to the 
couch.
"Buffy found him before I did." The vampire replied, easing Xander 
down.
"What? Buffy did this?" The watcher asked, looking up at Angel. The 
taller man closed his eyes and nodded. "That's impossible."
"I'm pretty sure it was Buffy. Short, blonde, kinda hard to forget 
Giles." Angel said sarcastically, feeling the bitterness well up 
inside him. He forced it down with an effort; he had to focus on the 
task at hand.
"She came to me the other night." Giles said quietly, leading the 
vampire to one side, away from the wincing Xander. "She was&turned, 
yes. But she cried. She said she had a soul."
"The Buffy I saw didn't look too soulful. She was stalking Xander, 
playing with him," Angel said heatedly. He didn't have time for 
this. "She also called herself Anne."
"If you'd let me finish," Giles shot back, annoyed at the 
interruption. "She also said that she had a demon, that she could 
feel it pressing against her soul. She hasn't the proper training or 
the right strength of mind at the moment to control it like you do 
Angel. It's imperative that we find her before the demon swallows her 
whole." Angel didn't respond, but looked over at the text on Giles' 
study desk.
"What's that?" he asked, already walking towards it.
"It's one of Willow's old spell books. I was hoping to find some 
reference to." Giles began but rudely interrupted yet again on 
account of Angel interjecting yet again.
"De-possession. Exorcism of animal spirits, transmogrification and 
reversing the effects of a shapeshifting spell." The vampire put the 
book back down. "Amy?"
"We need an experienced witch, she's the only one we know apart from 
Willow, but&" Giles trailed off, finding himself unable to say the 
words. Truth be told he'd had trouble accepting the fact that Willow 
was gone. Her presence had become a stabilising constant in his life, 
one he'd find it hard to live without.
"You were going to curse her." Angel said softly, looking at the desk.
"Yes." Giles replied simply. He and Buffy had agreed that they 
should, after all they knew the kind of damage that Willow was 
capable of dealing as a vampire.
"Then you'll need supplies." The vampire said. "Take care of Xander, 
I'll be back soon."

TBC

~Alyson