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Series: The Willow Chronicles Title: Stalking Death Chapter: Four/? Rating: R Pairing: Willow/Buffy, Willow/Alex Fandom: Buffy Timeline: Two months after Wrecked Spoilers: Nope Beta Reader: Dark Gremlin & Kris Notes: Think Willow meets Nancy Drew. I've decided that what Willow needs right now, is something to make her feel more important. Not magic or hacking. But something that makes a difference, but at the same time is all her own. Summary: A classmate dies mysteriously and the police have targeted a friend for the murder. She finds herself trapped between her duty in helping her friends solve the newest hellmouth baddie, and saving a friend from an evil a lot closer to home. Disclaimer: Not mine. ><><><><><><><> Willow entered the dark bar with a wide, assured stride that warned anyone who paid attention she was not to be messed with, a fact that was currently not far from the truth. She'd just spent the last hour begging Tara to let Jaime stay with her, then the rest of the time trying to talk Jaime into it. That wasn't even including the mothering she'd found herself on the receiving end of when her ex-lover had caught site of the large bruise that was now covering the left side of her jaw, leaving her entire left side a large mass of blacks, blues, purples, and yellows. She didn't even want to think about what Buffy was going to do when she saw her latest addition. "Hey kid, this ain't no place for...nerds, so why don't you run on home..Ahhhh!!" She squeezed the appendage between his legs until the veins in his neck and face were visible. "I'm sorry, were you talking to me?" "N-no." She released him with a sharp push that sent him crashing back into the bar, then continued further into the biker bar as though she owned it. She brushed carelessly by gangs that made her want to run and hide, past women that had more tattoos and piercing than she thought was possible on one person. She glared at the two women that moved in front of the doorway going into the back room, and drove her fist into one woman's stomach, spinning under the other woman's attack instinctively. "Mona! Jan!! That's enough." The enormous rock built man waved the two chicks out into the main room. "I didn't think I'd ever see the day when you would have the nerve to walk in here." "People change," she answered honestly. "Hmph." His six foot seven frame unfolded in front of her, the imposing form overshadowing her smaller one easily. "Drill. Escort her out." "What? No 'how are you's? Good to see you, Will?'" She stepped right up to him, and turned her face up to stare into his dark black eyes. "You're playing a dangerous game, Red." "Jefferson Thomas the Fourth." Stonewall clenched his jaw at the sight of her resolve face. "What about him?" "I need anything you have on him." She grew even angrier as he burst into a roarous laughter, his entire body shaking from trying to stay standing. "Look, I don't know what you're playing at, but there are certain topics that we stay away from, and that is one of them. Now, I suggest you go home to your wittle bed and leave me the hell alone." She stepped into his path, "How about a friendly little wager?" "I doubt you have anything I'd be interested in." She pulled a thick roll of hundred dollar bills from her pocket, "Not even two thousand dollars?" He eyed the wad of money with interest. "First person to win three games, winner take all." "Including the information?" "Of course." She relaxed slightly, "Let's do it then, 'cause I have to be back before midnight." Stone began laughing again. "Kid, I wonder if you have any idea what you're getting into?" 'Not really, no,' her mind whispered nervously. <><><><><><><> She glared dangerously at the blonde that was now leaning against the counter. She really wanted to stake the bastard, however he still had his uses. "It's funny, but I thought you had Red on a short leash, what with her addictions and all." "What are you going on about?" Xander snapped. "It seems your witch is hanging out with a rough crowd now." She shot across the room, slamming the vampire onto the table. "You have ten seconds before you become dust. One..." "Fine. Red is currently playing with a different type of addiction, one that's more up my alley actually." "...three..." "She's at Angel's Fire." "Wait, isn't that a biker bar?" Alex asked. "Yeah, and your friend is currently gambling with the ruling gang." "Shit." Alex grabbed her coat. "I'm going with you," Buffy said, following her competition out ..the store. "Why the hell would she do something like this?" "Info." " What?" Alex cranked the jeeps engine and floored it. "If she's betting against a gang, then she's probably after information." "I can't believe she went without us. She could get herself killed." "If she hasn't already..." Alex added. <><><><><><><> She stood back, keeping her eyes on the table in front of her. While her initial worry about her skills being equal to Drill's had been seriously off, she was still finding herself in a tough battle for each game. The first game had been a quick win for her, the second game was her's as well, only because of an illegal play on his part, the third, however, had last almost half an hour as they each struggled to win. Now they were on their fourth game, and unless she won it, then they'd be playing again. The muscular man bounced the solid 6 off the corner of the middle hole. "Your turn." Willow smiled sweetly at the disgruntled man, then leaned over with Magic, her personal cue. "Five ball to the right corner pocket." She hit the white ball, sending it into the red ball. The striped ball bounced off the side edge, then rolled straight into the right corner pocket. "Whoa Will, you've been holding out on us." She glanced up to see the slayer and her familiar standing on the other side of the pool table. "I can explain." "Look kid, either play or talk." She nodded to Drill, and moved to the other end of the table. "Two ball to the middle pocket." Once more she sent the ball into the called pocket without any trouble. She only had two more balls left on the table, including the eight ball, as she moved to the lower corner of the table. "Seven ball to the left corner pocket." The ball rolled the inch to the pocket and fell in. Praying that this time, she'd win, she bent over to sink the eight ball. She slid the cue stick back and stroked it forward, hitting the white ball into one of the solid colored balls. "Damn it." She gasped out in pain from being pushed into the table. "Sorry kid, looks like it's my turn." Drill smirked. "Hey..." She quickly grabbed Buffy before she could punch her opponent. "Don't." "He did that on purpose." "Buffy, please, just stay out of this." She turned back and winced as the large man sank one ball after another, until there were only two balls left on the table. Alex used the moment to trip one of the gang members into Drill, effectively making him miss his shot. "You fucking ass hole." Drill shouted, crushing his beer bottle into the side of the other man's head. "HEY!!" Rock yelled, stopping the fight before it could gain momentum,then motioned to Willow. "It's your turn." Willow moved into position, and easily sank the eight ball with the single stroke. "Game." "You cheating bitch..." Rock grabbed Drill and threw him at the nearby wall. "Leave it alone." The six foot wall slapped the two wads of bills into her hand. "There, now get out of here." "You still owe me the information." She shot back. Rocks jaw clenched tightly at her demand, then dragged her out the back. "All I can tell you is that he's got half the gangs in his pocket, and the other half on his hit list." "And which are you?" Buffy asked. "I'm no idiot." Rock glanced around to make sure they were alone. "Look, there's a rumor circulating that the guy used to be a member of the Angels of Death, but if he was, they're not talking about it." "Thanks." "Just do me one favor." "What?" Willow asked. "Get the hell out of here before you get one of us killed." Willow turned from the shaken man, squeaking as the slayer and Alex dragged her out into the alley to the heavy jeep. "Whoa, what's the hurry?" "Get in there." Buffy growled, pushing the redhead into the back of the jeep. "Why do I get the idea that you're mad?" "Damn it Will, you should know better than to go into someplace like that." Willow leveled a glare at the blonde. "You don't trust me to take care of myself." "I worry about you." Buffy corrected. "You can take your worry and shove it up your..." "So how much did you bet?" Alex interrupted. "Two G's." Buffy gaped. "You've got four thousand dollars?" Willow frowned slightly as she studied the second roll of bills. "Uh, yeah." "Whoa. It's a good thing that Anya isn't here." Willow sighed and leaned forward, planting a slow kiss on the slayer's lips. " I promise that I'll be more careful, but you have to stop being so..." "Territorial...possessive....obsessive..." Alex supplied. "...jumpy." Willow finished. "What happened to your face?" Buffy asked in a panicked tone. Willow groaned. It was going to be a long night. Aeris Jade Orion Grey Fox, and cause of Discord. Gabrielle: "Do you deny spying on these women?" Joxer: "I resent that." Gabrielle: "Do you deny it?" Joxer: "No, I just _resent_ it." Joxer: Hello--heh-heh-- name's Joxer-- spelled, uh [Clears throat]-- J-o-x-e-rrrrrrrr. Rh: "Would you wanna make a baby with me?" Jox: "What?!" Rh: "Will you help?" Jox: "Wait a minute! You want me to-- to-- to-- make a-- " Rh: "Right-- will you?" Jox: "Of course not! Hey, listen! We're not just machines, you know, you can use to-- . Besides-- you know, uh-- we can't just do it on command. We need stuff like, uh-- cheap motel rooms and dirty pictures and lingerie-- stuff like that! We're _not_ animals! But I can get those things!" |