FF: Love Immortal 5/7

["David A. Knapton" <belgin_tei@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Title: Love Immortal. 5/7
Author: David A. Knapton

E-mail: belgin_tei@xxxxxxxxxxx

Archived: NHA, The Mystic Muse, others if you want but it's polite 
to let the author know you are doing so.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my perverted mind. The characters 
belong to the owners of BtVS and Highlander.

Spoiler: Season 1 & 2, set sometime between Passion and Becoming II 
but Angelus killed Oz not Jenny who is still working on the spell to 
restore Angel's soul.

Rating: Possibly 18/NC17 overall this part 12A/PG-13.

Pairing: Buffy/Willow (eventually) Giles/Jenny Xander/Cordelia.

Summery: Joyce finds out about Buffy's relationship with Angel.

Notes: Just thought I'd point out that some of the dialog in this 
part is taken from various episodes and not necessarily spoken by 
the person that originally said it! Also some dialog is taken from 
the scripts but was cut before filming so will not match what 
viewers remember. 

Thanks so much to my great beta Hilary.

<> = Thought. [Flashback] = Ah duh Flashback.

Feedback: If you wish but be warned only obscene amounts of money 
will stop me posting more parts of this story if you don't like it 
and want it stopped or you can do what I do don't read stories you 
don't like!!!!

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Without thinking Joyce opened Buffy's bedroom door, she stopped in 
the doorway, the call for the girls to get up dying on her lips as 
she stood spellbound. Buffy and Willow were still asleep laying on 
their sides facing each other, the covers had been kicked to the 
bottom of the bed, both girls hands were moving over the other, 
nothing overtly sexual, just light caressing over their night 
cloths. 

Joyce blushed as she realised what she was doing, <Joyce get a grip 
you're watching your daughter almost make-out with her best friend 
in her sleep. Time for denial Joyce!> She quietly backed out the 
door and closed it before knocking a bit harder than 
necessary, "Buffy, Willow time to get up," she called through the 
door before hurrying down the stairs to drown herself in coffee.

Buffy's eyes slowly fluttered open, as her mother's voice brought 
her out of the wonderful dream she was having. She was in bed with 
her best friend Willow after they had declared their undying love 
for each other. They were making-out. Cool. Then she noticed where 
her hands were, her eyes went wide and she pulled her hand away from 
the redhead as if she had touched a naked flame. Blushing profusely 
she spun around to sit with her back to her friend, as she felt 
Willow do the same. "We're up mum," she called out.

Willow smirked in her sleep, she felt `her' Buffy's hand lightly 
caress her side and back as she did the same thing to the blonde, 
then from a long way away came the voice of her lover's mother 
announcing that it was time to get up. She woke with a start as she 
felt her friend abruptly withdraw her hand from her and begin to 
turn. She blushed as she realised what she had been dreaming about! 
She followed Buffy's example and jumped up into a sitting position, 
her back to her friend her colour deepening as she realised what 
they had been doing, all be it subconsciously.

Silence rained for several minutes as both girls sat in 
contemplation of what must have been happening it was finally broken 
by Willow, "Ah maybe I should go home today, ah it will only be one 
night on my own, mum and dad will be back sometime tomorrow." 
<Please don't say yes.>

Buffy was silent for a moment before croaking out, "Why!" she 
cleared her throat, she turned so she could look at her friend's 
back, "Why?" she asked again calmly this time, but with a little 
sadness as well as some bitterness in it.

Willow turned to look at her friend, meeting her eyes, "I-I just 
thought that ah you know! Hmmm, you would want me to go!" she 
stammered a blush coming to her face.

"Of course not. It wasn't as if we made a conscious decision, it was 
just a dream nothing more, okay?" Buffy said, <Oh right Summers just 
a dream! That you both had.> she looked down at the bed, worrying a 
piece of fluff.

"Yeah that's right," Willow brightened as her mind took hold of the 
idea, "I read a paper published by a Professor Walsh that explained 
what... ah you know. What we were... ah doing. Is-is a subconscious 
re-reaction to-to being in close proximity to someone when you are 
dr-dreaming, that's all. Ah maybe we should ah talk about it later," 
said Willow suddenly jumping up. "Yes later," <or never,> "But if we 
don't hurry we will be late for school, and that would be bad 
because don't wanna get black marks on our permanent records!" 
Willow babbled before scrunching up her nose as Buffy looked up at 
her, an amused look coming to her face. "Do you think they really do 
use a black pen? And what sort of mark do you think they make, it 
can't be a tick cuz ticks are normally goo..." She stopped in mid 
babble as she watched Buffy collapse onto the bed laughing, "What?" 
she asked in an indignant tone.

After a couple of minutes Buffy was able to get control enough to 
speak, "Sorry Will, it was so funny one second your on about dreams 
and you know," she blushed again nodding towards the bed before 
turning back to the redhead, "And next you go into detention and 
black marks," giggled the slayer.

Willow got a worried look on her face, "Detention! No one said 
anything about detention; do you think they would give me detention? 
I mean I've never done anything wrong before! I mean I'm a straight 
A student always have my homework in on time," she saw Buffy arch an 
eyebrow, "Okay I get my homework in before the due date," Buffy 
continued to look pointedly at the other girl. "Okay I hand my 
homework in the day after I get it," muttered Willow.

Buffy got up still laughing, "Come on Will lets get ready and no I'm 
sure they wouldn't give the best student in the school detention if 
she was late once and anyways we can always ask mum for a ride," she 
said beginning to pull out some clothes from her closet.

--------------

Giles hesitated at the open door of the computer room upon seeing 
Jenny doing something with the infernal machine. Oh how he hated 
computers, he frowned <I wonder how she got into computers? She 
lived before the industrial revolution before cars, steamships or 
planes. Maybe it was easier being out in the world as the modern 
world came into being! Not like me hiding myself away from 
everything in the councils library?> He knocked on the doorframe, a 
shy smile coming to his face as Jenny looked up, "Ah I was wondering 
if you have a minute to talk about Buffy and Willow?"

"No, not now I have a class to teach and," she nodded towards the 
pile of computer printouts and computer discs, "I have a lot of 
marking to catch up on, I had planned to do it yesterday, but what 
with Angelus torturing me I didn't get around to it," she gave him a 
mischievous smile, which he frowned at, "Sorry didn't mean to make 
you feel uncomfortable. Look I have a free period at 11, I'll come 
by the library then okay?"

"Yes that maybe best, no chance that we will be overheard by a 
student, other than Buffy and her friends. I can go days without 
seeing a single one, no one comes to ask for a book, strange, these 
Americans," Giles sighed before his curiosity got the better of 
him. "If you don't mind me asking. How did you get into computers?"

"Simple Rupert, survival."

"Sorry?" Giles frowned again, "I don't understand?"

"Before computers and modern communications were invented immortals 
could simply move to another country or even another town and 
invent a new identity, but now we need a lot more background to 
disappear," Jenny told him.

"Yes I can see how that would be a problem," he nodded.

"So changing the subject. How've you been?" smiled Jenny.

"Not very well. Since Angel lost his soul, he seems to have regained 
his sense of whimsy," Giles told her.

"Willow mentioned something this morning about her fish?"

"He's been in Buffy's bedroom too. I'm going to have to drum up a 
spell to keep him out of their homes," he said without much 
enthusiasm.

Jenny grabbed her purse and pulled out a small book, "Here," she 
said handing the book to him, "Might help. I've been... reading up 
since Angel changed. I don't think you have that."

Giles looked back to her after reading the title, "Thank you," he 
smiled.

"How is Buffy doing? I haven't seen her since last night and I 
haven't had a chance to really talk to her since she found out about 
me."

"How do you think?" he snapped.

Jenny sighed, "Rupert, I know you feel betrayed."

"Yes, that's one of the unpleasant side effects of betrayal," he 
snorted.

Jenny sighed even deeper, "I lived with the people that Angel hurt 
the most, the Romanii girl he killed that day a century ago was to 
be their greatest hope for the future." She hesitated before 
revealing the rest, "The daughter of the headman of the Kalderash 
people had two possible destinies, she would either become the 
tribal wise woman that would close the Hellmouth or be lost to the 
world when the darkness's creature of two destinies took her from 
them." A tear came to her eyes as she remembered that fateful day.

[Flashback]

1898 Romania.

Jenna slowed her horse just outside the camp, it snorted nervously, 
and even it could sense that all was not right with the camp up 
ahead. It was far too quiet.

Jenna dismounted as quietly as possible and drew her sword, holding 
it at mid-guard position she slowly advanced towards the central 
fire. She stopped as she saw a body in the shadows of a large tree, 
scanning the surroundings she slowly bent down throwing another 
quick glance around to be sure whatever had killed the man was not 
going to jump out at her. She turned her attention to the body as 
she went to check if he was still alive the body fell sideways into 
the light coming from the fire.

Jenna gasped as the well know features came into view, a tear slide 
down her cheek as she gently caressed his cheek, "Mugur," she 
whispered to the body that had once been the headman of her people. 
She had helped deliver him into the world, for which the father had 
been so grateful he had named the baby after her long dead husband. 
When he had grown into a heavy set youth she had briefly taken him 
as a lover, but when he had succeeded his father as head of his 
family, and although he had loved Jenna deeply he had been forced by 
the tribe to take a mortal woman as his wife.

That had been 14 years ago, they had only produced one child, a 
daughter, the tribal wise woman had announced upon seeing the girl 
that she would succeed her as the wise woman, and if the goddess 
willed it, would have the power to close the Hellmouth, forever 
ending the terror of the vampyres. But it had not ended there as the 
wise woman had pronounced her destiny she had begun to mumble in 
ancient Slavic, only Jenna among those assembled could understand 
what she had said, `That one would come to take her from the world 
if she was left unguarded, this one would walk in both light and 
shadow and if he succeeded the fate of the world would pass to him, 
either to save or destroy it.'

The tribe had pressed on her to guard the girl above all else, at 
first Jenna had been reluctant to take on such a task, to have the 
fate of the world in her hands had seemed so frightening, but upon 
looking into the face of the baby Anezka, her heart had been filled 
with such wonder and joy that she had relented. As the babe had 
grown Jenna had begun to look upon her as the child she herself 
could never have. As the girl grew so did her wisdom, by the time 
she was ten her council was in great demand by many, eventually she 
came to the notice of the Watchers Council who wished to bring her 
into their ranks, at this Jenna had counselled the tribal elders not 
to trust the Watchers pointing out how they treated their other 
charge, `the slayer'. Her words fell on deaf ears and the elders 
decreed that on the day of her fourteenth birthday she would be 
placed under the Watchers protection.

That had been 8 months earlier; Jenna had left her people in anger 
shortly after to seek out her friend and teacher Marcus Constantine 
at the time living in northern Italy. Eventually her anger had 
dissipated, only to be replaced by guilt that she had left `her' 
child to her fate. So, after talking it over with Marcus she had 
resolved to return to the tribe and go with Anezka when they sent 
her to the council. 

She rose slowly, the anger and guilt erupting inside at not being 
here when whatever had attack her family. With murder in her eyes 
she stalked into the camp, the anger died as she looked into the 
first wagon, the blood drained from her face as she looked on the 
face of `her' daughter, "Anezka," Jenna cried as she dropped her 
sword and rushed over to the limp body of the girl, "Please, oh 
please no," she said gathering the girl up into her arms rocking her 
back and forth lost in her grief.

She did not know how long she stayed there gently holding onto the 
dead child but she suddenly stopped as she heard a loud crashing 
sound followed by a grown. She gently lay the girl down and 
retrieved her sword. Slowly moving outside, she could see more now 
as the night sky began to pale giving way to another day. The bump 
had been caused by her horse entering the camp and knocking over 
some pots in its search for something to eat, the increasing light 
also allowed her to see more of the camp, there was blood everywhere 
but no bodies, she heard the groan again, it was coming from the 
other side of the wagon.

Jenna cautiously walked around the wagon, it was Anezka's mother 
Ludmilla she hung limply by her hands, which were pinned to the side 
of the wagon by knives, the blood slowly running down her arms and 
dipping off her slightly bent elbows. Jenna worked the knives out 
of the wood as gently as she could while Ludmilla whimpered slightly.

She tenderly eased Ludmilla to the ground, helping her sip a little 
water that she coughed back up, "Who did this?" Jenna asked her 
anger returning.

Ludmilla coughed up more blood as she told the immortal how a 
stranger by the name of Angelus had followed Mugur and the other men 
back from the local village where they had been trading some of 
there wares for the things they could not make themselves. They had 
invited the man to eat with them not realising that he was a vampire 
until it was to late, he had killed the men that night, some of the 
women and children had managed to escape but he had caught Anezka 
and holding her had threatened to kill her if Ludmilla did not 
return to the camp with them. Once there he had tied the girl up 
before pinning Ludmilla to the wagon and draining Anezka of her 
life's blood in front of her. With her tale told Ludmilla died.

Jenna searched the camp but only found more dead, five men, two 
women and a little boy. Not having the time to bury them, she 
placed them all in one wagon and burned their remains. After taking 
what supplies she needed, she freed the wagon horses and headed for 
the tribe's meeting place two days ride to the north.

[End Flashback]

"...It was my duty to protect her...I failed." Jenny was quiet for a 
moment, "I didn't come here to hurt anyone. I lied to you because I 
thought it was the right thing to do. I didn't know what would 
happen... I didn't know I was going to fall in love with you."

"Jenny..." Giles said quietly.

"Oh god," Jenny blushed, "Is it too late to take that back?"

"Do you want to?" Giles smirked.

"I want to be right with you. I don't expect... more. But I want to 
make all this up to you," she said somewhat shyly.

"I understand. But I'm not the one you need to make it up to," Giles 
said not unkindly, "Thank you for the book; I'll see you at 11 
then." He turned and she watched as he disappeared down the corridor 
as her next class began to file in.

--------------

Jenny entered the library just after 11 to see Willow and the gang 
sitting around the table discussing the prophecy that she had told 
Buffy and Willow about, <Goddess was it only two days ago! It seems 
like a lifetime and I've had a lot of those.> They stopped talking 
as they heard the door open, turning towards her she was met with 
various types of looks; Xander was one of suspicion Buffy and Giles 
had what could only be described as neutral looks, a warm smile came 
to Willow's when she saw her teacher and Cordelia had her normal 
bored look, all in all about what she expected.

"Ah hi, I see you got the prophesy," she nodded towards the 
cluttered table, the scroll laying open in the middle, "When I 
couldn't find it last night I guessed it would be here. So any idea 
when Buffy is supposed to fight Angelus?"

"I'm not sure I have found indications of a meeting in the black 
chronicles but as usual it is very vague, whereas the scroll seems 
to be a bit too precise for my tastes. Until Willow brought the 
scroll to me yesterday I had never heard of it or its contents, 
where exactly did you acquire it?"

"The reason you have never heard of it before now is that I only 
vaguely knew what it contained. No one other than the wise women of 
the Kalderash knew of its existence, I asked for the original scroll 
a couple of weeks ago I only received it last weekend, as I'm sure 
Willow told you. I had planned to show you it yesterday."

"Can you read it?" asked Xander, "Coz it looks like Greek to me!"

"English looks like Greek to you dork," smirked Cordy.

"He's not that bad Cordy I hear he was seen last week reading," 
giggled Buffy, "Okay it was a comic but it did have some long words 
in it like "Kryptonite"."

"Hey enough with picking on the only boy in the group," snapped 
Xander. Giles raised an eyebrow, "Ah, I know you are of the boy 
gender but you being so much older we don't really think of you like 
that... ah sorry Giles I'll shut up now."

"A Uh, quiet Xander," said Giles, he turned to Jenny, "Putting aside 
the scroll for a moment, as I said earlier I would like to work out 
a joint training program for Buffy and Willow," both girls beamed at 
each other, "Although I have experience with swords it does not 
compare with your own, and if the scroll is right and Buffy does 
have to fight Angel I'd like to think I am giving her the best 
chance to win, so would you train her to use a sword?"

"Please Jenny," Willow added giving the older immortal a puppy dog 
look.

It hung in the air for a moment; Jenny smiled at her young 
friend, "If you can combine that look with your other skills Willow, 
no immortal alive could stand against you," she laughed. "Yes I'll 
train Buffy but not here, I own a gym downtown, it would be safer if 
Willow brought Buffy there tomorrow after school."

Willow jumped up to hug her teacher. "You own a gym?" asked Cordy.

Jenny smiled down at the young cheerleader, "Actually I own five, 
one in New York, one in Dallas, one in Chicago and one in Cleveland 
as well as the one here. An immortal needs to invest her money in 
something."

"And just how much fundage do you have," asked Cordy a little 
shocked for some reason.

"Well lets see there are the five gyms, hmmm, a antiques business in 
London and another in Prague, a half share in a couple of hotels as 
well as stocks and shares, at the last count I believe I was worth 
somewhere in the region of 170 million dollars," everyone gasped, 
even Willow, "Although I haven't bothered checking for about five 
years so I expect its quite a bit more now," she giggled at the 
looks on their faces.

--------------

Next day Jenny's gym

Other than Buffy and Willow the only others present were Giles and 
Jenny who had suggested that the two girls duel so she could see 
where Buffy needed the most improvement.

The ring of steel on steel echoed off the walls as the two parried 
and thrust as they tried to disarm the other. It was obvious to 
both adults that the only thing stopping Willow from winning was 
Buffy's greater speed and strength.

"Okay stop," called out Jenny as she strode towards the two panting 
girls.

"Hey Will how did you get so good?" smiled Buffy.

Willow smiled, "I had some really good teachers..."

[Flashback]

Previous summer

Willow followed Jenny into the large private room next to the public 
gym owned by the immortal she could sense another already there, she 
was still a little apprehensive whenever she sensed another immortal 
but she guessed that was a good thing.

She saw that the other immortal, Duncan, doing some warm-up 
exercises, the Scotsman smiled at them as he walked over to 
them, "Good morning ladies, Jenna asked me to help her with your 
training," he said looking at Willow.

"Ah thanks," Willow said lightly blushing. "So where do we start?" 
she said looking at the other two immortals.

"With the basics Willow, first we show you how to hold a sword and 
how to defend yourself then when you have mastered that we will show 
you how to attack and beat your opponent," explained Duncan before 
leading them over to one of the benches around the sides of the room.

When Jenny saw the case on the bench she smiled at Duncan, "You 
managed to get the sword for me?"

"Yes, it turned out that Conner had it all the time, it was one of 
the swords he found after he killed The Kurgan in New York a few 
years ago, it seems Kurgan killed Diego." The Highlander sighed 
before a smile came to his face as he picked up the long narrow case 
and handed it to Jenny, "I think he would be pleased to know you 
were passing it onto another immortal to learn the skills he helped 
develop."

Jenny returned his smile as she took the case, "Yes I know he 
would," she said. She turning to Willow who had a curious look on 
her face and held out the case to her as she opened the lid, "This 
rapier was the first ever made by the weapon smiths of Toledo, 
Spain. It was made for a very good friend of mine by the name of 
Diego de Valera in 1515. Both Duncan and I learned a great deal from 
him over the years, now he is gone I want you to have his sword so I 
got Duncan to find it for me."

Jenny smiled at the look of awe on her young friend's face as she 
gently picked up the finely wrought sword with its intricately woven 
handguard and the large uncut Ruby set as the pommel stone. Willow 
looked at her teacher shaking her head, "I can't take this it's too 
much, I'd never be able to pay you back," she said.

"Willow I got it for you, you need a sword and you will find no 
better blade than this, and I don't want anything in return other 
than that you learn to use it properly in memory of a great man and 
a dear friend."

"I-I don't know what to say... Thank you," said Willow trying to hug 
her teacher and keep hold of the sword without stabbing herself or 
the others.

"Right then shall we begin," Duncan smiled at the two female 
immortals as he walked into the centre of the room.

Jenny sat down on the bench getting a curious look from the 
redhead, "I'll sit and watch for a while, there is no one better to 
teach you than Duncan."

Willow nodded; walking over to the Scotsman she gave him her best 
smile, "Okay what's first?"

"Well I see you already know the correct way to hold a sword."

"Ah yeah ah Buffy, Xander and I sort of ah snuck into the library 
one morning and ah were ah playing with Giles collection. Buffy 
showed me how to hold one," Willow explained.

"I see," said Duncan somewhat sternly, "You will need to be very 
careful around them from now on, you can't be killed but they can," 
he chastised the redhead.

"Ah okay so ah defence," said Willow trying to get the piercing dark 
eyes from looking so angry.

"Right," said Duncan shaking off the feeling of concern. He had 
started worrying since meeting the young immortal, she regally put 
herself in danger on the Hellmouth. He just wished he could 
persuade Jenna to take her away from this town before something 
happened that destroyed the bubbly redhead's life. "There are five 
main guard or stance positions, low, middle and high as well as 
hanging and back," he demonstrated all five, "The low guard is 
called Alber `the fool's guard' in the German schools since they 
feel it is foolish to rely only on what is basically a defensive 
position where you react to your opponent's moves, but until you 
have properly learned to use your sword it should be your primary 
position." Duncan began the lesson that Willow knew would be a long 
hard day.

[End Flashback]

"Right Buffy I think we need to start from the beginning, although 
you have faster reactions than Willow, you may meet something that 
is faster, if you do not improve your skill you will not survive," 
Jenny said.

Buffy looked at Willow for a second before turning back to 
Jenny, "Alright we'll start from the beginning."

"Okay there are five basic positions to hold your blade. Low, 
middle..."

--------------

Buffy entered the gym from the private shower/changing room drying 
her damp hair, she smiled at Willow who sat waiting with Cordelia. 
The Cheerleader had arrived earlier so they could de-vamp her car 
using the book Jenny had given Giles the day before. "Ready to go?" 
Buffy asked smiling down at the other two.

--------------

Buffy watched as Willow nailed the last of the four wooden crosses 
to the frame of the French windows, while Cordelia poked around 
Willow's room, bored. "You really think this'll bother him?" asked 
the slayer.

"Ira Rosenberg's only daughter nailing crucifixes to her bedroom 
wall?" smirked Willow looking at Buffy, "I have to go to Xander's 
house just to watch `A Charlie Brown Christmas' every year," she 
pointed out.

"Yeah, I see your point," said Buffy somewhat sadly before 
brightening a little, "You can come over and watch it at my house."

Willow returned Buffy's smile, "Thanks, although it is worthwhile 
just to see Xander do the Snoopy dance."

Cordelia was looking into Willow's aquarium, "Uh Willow, are you 
aware that there are no fish in your aquarium?"

Willow let out a little whimper; "You know Cordelia," said Buffy 
somewhat angry that the cheerleader had upset Willow, "We've already 
done your car. You can call it a night if you want."

Quickly Cordelia crossed the room to pick up her coat from Willow's 
bed, "Sure, two's company, three's... not," she said seeing the way 
they were staring at each other, "And you know I'd do the same for 
you if either of you `had' a social life." As she picked the coat up 
she saw an envelope on the pillow, "Oh hey... this must be for you," 
she said holding it out to Willow.

Willow and Buffy exchanged a concerned look. Willow took the 
envelope; opening it she removed the paper from inside and glanced 
at it. A worried look coming to her face as she held it out to 
Buffy, "It's for you..."

Buffy takes the paper from Willow, she opens it with some 
trepidation, "Mum," she exclaims as she shows the charcoal sketch of 
her sleeping mother.

--------------

Joyce turned off the engine and got out taking the groceries off the 
backseat, as she turned and headed for the door. She jumped as a 
figure stepped into the light almost making her drop the bags, <Oh 
god Angelus,> she paled, <What can I do? Oh god oh god,> her mind 
shouted as the monster came closer.

"Mrs Summers, I have to talk to you," he said in what sounded like a 
worried type of voice.

"You're... Angel," <Oh god oh god,> her mind continued to scream, 
<Got to get inside before... oh god oh god.>

Angel smiled at her, "Did Buffy tell you about us?" he asked.

"She told me..." <God Joyce think of something!> "She wants you to 
leave her alone," she told him as she tried to get past him to her 
door.

Angel followed Joyce, "I can't... I can't do that," he told her in a 
distraught tone of voice.

"You're scaring her," <And Me.> Joyce replied in a slightly 
frightened voice.

"You have to help me," pleaded Angel, watching her fumble with her 
keys, "Joyce, I need to be with her. You can convince her. You have 
to convince her."

"I'm telling you to leave her alone..."

"You have to talk to her for me, Joyce. Tell her I need her. She'll 
listen to you." Angel bent down to help Joyce when she dropped the 
grocery bags in the process of getting her door key in the lock.

"Please, I just want to get inside," pleaded Joyce.

"You don't understand, Joyce. I'll die without Buffy... She'll die 
without me."

"Are you threatening her?" asked Joyce, her maternal instincts 
taking over from the fear.

"Please! Why is she doing this to me?" asked Angel.

Joyce abandoned the spilled bag and stood taking the key she turned 
the key, turning to look at him, "Just leave us alone," she said.

Angel had a sad look on is face, "I haven't been able to sleep since 
the night we made love. I need her," he said.

<Oh god it was Buffy!> Joyce pushed the door open and stepped in 
with a sigh at being safe. As she turned to close the door her eyes 
went wide in fear as he moved to enter the house, <Oh god oh god no 
please no.> she began to take a step back.

But, as Angel got to the doorway he stopped short as if he hit an 
invisible barrier.

Joyce turned towards the stairs as she heard Willow 
speaking. "...His verbes, consenus rescissus est."

Buffy breezed past her mother to stand just inside the open doorway, 
Angel unable to move any closer, "Sorry Angel. I've changed the 
locks," she said before slowly closing the door in his face.

Buffy turned to see her mother only to notice an odd looking 
expression on her face, "We need to talk Buffy," Joyce said, turning 
to her daughter's friend she smiled slightly, "Will you excuse us 
dear, I think I need to talk Buffy alone." Both girls exchanged 
worried looks as Joyce hung up her coat before returning to the 
bottom of the stairs, "Up stairs Buffy, we have a lot to talk 
about," she said as she led the way.

Willow watched as Buffy and her mother turned at the top of the 
stairs obviously heading for Buffy's room. She sighed and went into 
the living room to finish her homework.

--------------

Giles frowned as he approached the Summers front door, there was 
several bags of shopping scattered around the porch, there was no 
sign of blood and the door looked alright, he knocked and while he 
waited, he began picking up the scattered items wondering why they 
had been left.

On hearing the door opening he looked up to see Willow stood looking 
down at him, "Willow? Hi," he said standing up.

The redhead frowned at him, "Giles what are you doing?"

"Oh I found all these groceries on the porch is everything alright?" 
Giles said handing Willow a bag and retrieving the other and 
following Willow into the kitchen.

On returning to the front door Willow held out a book, "Here's the 
book."

Taking it Giles smiled, "Yes, I should do my apartment tonight. Did 
the ritual work out all right?" he asked.

"Oh yeah. It went fine," smiled the redhead for a moment before 
becoming serious, "Well, it went fine up until the part where Angel 
showed up and told Buffy's mum that he and Buffy had... well, you 
know that they had... they had... you know," a sudden relation 
dawned on her, "Uh, you DO know, right?"

"Oh, yes, sorry," said the watcher slightly embarrassed.

Willow let out a breath in relief, "Oh, good. Because I just 
realized, that being a librarian and all, maybe you really didn't 
know..."

"No..." he blushed a little more, "Thank you, I got it."

"You would have been proud of her, though. She totally kept her 
cool," said Willow very upbeat as she opened the door, "Okay. Well, 
I'll tell Buffy you dropped by..." she said as she went to close the 
door.

"Wait!" said Giles, "Do you think I should perhaps... intervene on 
Buffy's behalf with her mother?" he looked towards the 
stairs, "Maybe say something..."

"Sure!" smiled Willow, "Like what would you say?"

"Well, like... for instance, I could say... that is..." Giles sighed 
giving up, "So, you `will' tell Buffy I dropped by, then."

"You bet. As soon as she comes back down from talking with her mum," 
smiled Willow before closing the door and returning to the kitchen 
to put the groceries away.

--------------

Buffy and Joyce sat in uncomfortable silence next to each other on 
Buffy's bed.

"That stuff with the herbs and the Latin, that's, um... He's just 
real superstitious," Buffy said quietly.

"Oh." <She must have had him in the house... oh god he could have 
killed us at anytime!>

"I figure if we're careful not to..."

"Was he the first," Joyce said without thinking. Buffy looked up as 
her mother rose, blushing slightly as she realised what her mother 
was asking. "No. Wait. I don't want to know. Or, I don't think I 
want to..."

"Yes. He was the first. I mean, the only," Buffy tried saying.

"He's older than you," <A lot older, god Joyce hold it together.>

"I know," Buffy said, only just above a whisper.

"'Too' old, Buffy. And he's obviously not stable." <That's an 
understatement if ever there has been one.> "I really wish... I 
thought you would show more judgement," said Joyce sitting back down 
next to her daughter.

"Mum, I... he wasn't like this before," Buffy told her mother.

"Are you in love with him?" <Oh god, please don't say yes.>

"I was..." Buffy began to say.

"Were you careful?" <Oh good one Joyce, he's a vampire for godsake.>

"Mum..." exclaimed Buffy.

"Don't `mum' me, Buffy... you don't get to get out of this. You had 
sex with someone you didn't even see fit to tell me you were 
seeing," Joyce told her daughter.

"I made a mistake," said Buffy sadly.

"Don't just say that to shut me up because I think you really did." 
<God did you make a mistake.>

"I know that!" snapped Buffy, "Mum my life is so... I can't tell you 
everything."

"How about `anything'?" Joyce turned to look at Buffy, "Buffy, you 
can shut me out of your life, I'm pretty much used to that, but 
don't expect me to stop caring about you `cause it's never gonna 
happen. I love you more than anything in the world."

Buffy said nothing. Joyce waited a moment getting her thoughts in 
order, <Okay Joyce time to lighten the mood a little.> "That would 
be your cue to roll your eyes and tell me I'm grossing you out."

Buffy turned to her mother love in her eyes, "You're not. I'm glad."

The silence between them warmed a little.

"Well, I guess that was the talk," said Joyce.

"How did it go?" Buffy asked smirking slightly.

"I don't know, it's my first."

"Well, what did you tell Grandma when you..." asked Buffy.

"Nothing," said Joyce frowning, "I don't think she knows..."