Chapter 16
Dear Diary,
This week’s drama had some good and bad. Good: I think I finally found closure about Angel. Just wanted to know what his deal was, you know? Knowing he cares for me as a human says it was the Buffy-ness that caught his eye, not the Slayer thing. I had enough issues with the Slayer thing on my own…adding a guy that’s hung up on it? Yikes.
So not going there. Ever. Then again, I’m not the Slayer anymore, and no one knows about the Guardian thing.
Speaking of the Guardian thing: the bad of the week is that I needed a rescue. After nearly two years of kicking ass, that was hard for me to swallow. Still is, forty-eight hours later. Totally shows I’ve been slacking on what Lillian can teach me, so I’m marching over there this weekend and demanding lessons. Never wanna feel that weak and helpless again.
Can’t believe October will be over soon, but that does mean Halloween. Scary movies, wicked costumes, and enough candy to create cavities in a single night. Mmm, my favorite holiday after Christmas. Or maybe Thanksgiving. Hard to compete with yams and pie.
Holidays just rock.
It’s the night demons take off, so with any luck, I can get Willow to join the fun, and if Kendra can be brought over to the dark side?
Pffft, like that’ll ever happen!
~Buffy
****
The Guardians were gathered in the temple around the Seeing Pool.
“Ethan Rayne is in town. Do we allow events to come to pass as the Messenger told us?”
“Events are already changed. Buffy will make different choices.”
“She must make the deal with Spike before November 17th or we will be forced to act.”
“Do we tell her what is to come? What would be?”
“Nay…not yet. Too much interference with Time could have dire consequences.”
“It is agreed, then. We trust the child, and we wait.”
****
It was almost Halloween. Buffy and Kendra were patrolling again, the Slayer not minding the company so much anymore. Hunting led them to Pop’s Pumpkin Patch, complete with jack o’ lanterns, scarecrows, bales of hay, and a vampire.
Buffy landed on her back on top of a pumpkin. She threw a squash at his forehead, then a small pumpkin. “Kendra!”
“Got it.” She pulled a stake out of her shirt and threw it at the vamp. He grabbed a scarecrow and used it as a shield, and came at her with kicks.
They started fighting hand-to-hand.
Unnoticed, a second vampire filmed the fight with a camcorder.
A few hits later, the vampire knocked Kendra into the hay wagon. She held onto the side of the wagon and kicked the vampire to the ground, then turned around and grabbed the railing, using her legs to put the vampire’s head in a scissor lock. She twisted her body and flipped him onto the ground.
Spotting the sign, Buffy ran around them and pulled it out of the ground. Signpost, meet vampire chest. He burst into ashes. The filming vampire backed into the bushes and left.
Kendra brushed hay off her clothes. “Next time, stay out of the way. You could have gotten hurt.”
“Next time, stake him faster.”
****
Angel sat at a table in The Bronze. Cordelia spotted him and made her way to his table.
Shy by Epperley was playing.
I don’t say much but I, but I like to sing
“I know. Is The Bronze so not happening? Or what?” She set down her drink and sat.
“Oh. Hi.”
Won’t tell you what I’m thinking
“Hi!”
“I’m waiting for Buffy.”
Just have to wait and sing
“Great! I’m supposed to be meeting Devon, but he’s nowhere to be seen. It’s like he thinks being in a band gives him an obligation to flake. Well, his loss is your incredible gain!”
She started telling a story about Devon, making him laugh.
Buffy and Kendra walked in.
“So I told Devon, ‘You call that leather interior? My Barbie Dream Car had nicer seats!’” They laughed.
Angel saw Buffy. “Buffy?” He got up and hurried over. “Buffy!”
But still my heart pours out, out from my lips
“Hi! You’re here.”
“Yeah. Thought you’d be here.”
“I was with Kendra.”
Angel pulled a piece of straw from her hair. “So I see.”
Well I’m mute, but I’m not quite mute
“Hey, it’s a look. A seasonal look.”
And I say the things you want to hear
“Buffy. Love the hair. It just screams street urchin,” Cordelia said.
I’m mute, but I’m not quite mute
“The day I don’t have a mirror in my pocket.”
And I keep to myself to defend
“Don’t listen to her. Please. You look fine.”
Yeah I’m alright
“You’re sweet. A terrible liar, but sweet.”
Oh now don’t want to fight
“I thought we could…”
“Have a date? I’m sorry. Have fun with Cordelia.” Buffy disappeared in the crowd to go find Kendra and a drink.
“Cappuccino?” Cordelia handed a cup to Angel.
He looked at her, the coffee, then in Buffy’s direction.
I’m an angel burning out
Oh now
“Hey, let’s go back to our table before someone steals it,” Cordelia said.
“Uh, right.” He followed, feeling a mix of emotions.
****
Sunnydale High the next day – Snyder had a clipboard. He grabbed the nearest girl and pulled her aside.
“Hey!”
“You’re volunteering.” He held the clipboard and pen out to her.
“But I have to get to class.”
“Snyder must be in charge of the volunteer safety program for Halloween this year,” Willow said.
“Note his interesting take on the volunteer concept.”
“What’s the deal?” Buffy asked. Willow worked the combo on her locker.
“Oh, a bunch of little kids need people to take them trick-or-treating. Sign up and get your own pack of sugar-hyped little runts for the night.”
“Yikes.”
Snyder put his hand on her shoulder. “Miss Summers. Just the juvenile delinquent I’ve been looking for.”
“Hey, I’ve been a model student all year.”
“Halloween must be a big night for you. Tossing eggs, keying cars, bobbing for apples, one pathetic cry for help after another. Well, not this year, missy.”
“Gosh, I’d love to sign up, but I recently developed carpal tunnel syndrome and can tragically no longer hold a flashlight.”
Snyder held up the clipboard and pen.
“I’ll sign up,” Kendra said, taking it from him. Everybody’s brows rose.
“The program starts at four, the children have to be back at six.” He held out pens to Willow and Xander, too.
Willow took the pen.
****
“I can’t believe this. We have to get dressed up and the whole deal?” Xander said.
“Snyder said costumes were mandatory,” Willow said.
“Great. I was going to The Bronze,” Buffy said.
“Won’t be so bad. It is the one night things are quiet,” Kendra said.
“Halloween quiet? Oh, I figured it’d be a big old vamp scare-a-palooza.”
They walked into the lounge.
“Not according to Mr. Giles.” The girls sat.
“He swears tomorrow night is, like, dead for the undead. They stay in,” Buffy added.
“Those wacky vampires! That’s why I love ‘em! They just keep you guessing!” He put his book bag down on the table and went to the soda machine.
He put in coins and hit a button. Nothing. He hit another one. Still nothing. He hit the machine in the front and on the side. Larry came up to him and put his hand on Xander's shoulder.
“Harris!”
“Hey, Lar. You’re lookin’ Cor-Mag as usual. What can I do you for?”
“You and Buffy, you’re just friends, right?”
“What of it?”
“So, she, she’s not your girlfriend?”
“Alas, no.”
“Do you think she’d go out with me?”
“Well, Lar, that’s a tough question to… No. Not a chance.”
“Why not? I heard some guys say she was fast.”
“I hope you mean like the wind.”
“Yeah, you know what I mean.”
“That’s my friend you’re talkin’ about!”
“Oh, yeah? Well, what’re you gonna do about it?”
“I’m gonna do what any man would do about it.” He grabbed Larry’s shirt. “Somethin’ damn manly.”
Larry laughed, knocked Xander’s hands away, and grabbed him by the shirt. He raised his left hand for a punch. Kendra grabbed it before he could swing.
“You don’t want to be doing that.” She shoved him away.
“Do you know what you just did? Larry was about to pummel me!”
“Fighting is against the rules on campus.” She headed back to the table.
“A black eye heals, Kendra, but cowardice has an unlimited shelf life. Oh, thanks! Thanks a lot for your help.” He grabbed his bag and stormed off in a huff.
“I think you just violated the guy code big time,” Buffy said.
“Poor Xander. Boys are so fragile. Speaking of, have you seen Angel recently?”
“He had Cordelia drooling in his cappuccino.”
“Oh, Buffy. She’s not his type.”
“Will, I don’t want to be his type. If you haven’t noticed, he’s not exactly one to over-share.”
“True. It’s too bad we can’t sneak a look at the Watcher diaries and read up on him. I’m sure it’s full of fun facts to know and tell.”
“Yeah. It’s too bad. That stuff is private.”
“Also Giles keeps them in his office. In his personal files.”
“Most importantly, it would be wrong.”
Kendra shook her head. “No wonder you died. The Slayer’s duty is to study as well as fight. Did you not read any history of the vampires?” She left in the direction Xander had run off to.
****
Buffy snuck into the library and headed for Giles’ office.
“Buffy!”
“Hi!” She waved to Willow to come in as he looked down at his books. Willow shook her head no. “You know, there’s this place you can go, right, and you sit in the dark, and there are these moving pictures, right, and the pictures tell a story.”
“Yes, yes, ha, ha, very droll. I’ll have you know I have very, uh, many relaxing hobbies.”
“Such as?”
“Well, um…”
Buffy encouraged Willow to keep going.
“I enjoy cross-referencing.”
“Do you stuff your own shirts, or do you send them out?” She grabbed a book from his stack to keep his attention. “So! How come Halloween is such a big yawner? I mean, do the demons just hate how commercial it’s become?”
“Um, it’s very interesting, ac—Not, I suspect, to you. What is it you’re after?”
“Of course, it’s of interest to me!”
“I really don’t have time for these games.”
“Ms. Calendar said you were a babe.”
“She said what?”
“Well, she said that you were a...h-hunk of burning...something or other. So, whadaya think of that?”
“Uh, I... I don't, um, uh... A burning hunk of what?”
“Look. You know how disgusting it is for me to even contemplate you grownups having smoochies.” She saw Willow exit the office with a book. “But I think you should go for it.”
“Buffy, I appreciate your interest, but…”
“But I've overstepped my bounds. It's none of my business, you know. What was I thinking? My God! Shame, shame. I gotta go.” She quickly walked out.
“A babe? I can live with that.”
Buffy and Willow fled to the nearest place they could be alone—the girls’ bathroom. They found the entries.
“Man, look at her.” Buffy pointed to a sketch of a woman with a tiny corseted waist in a billowing gown.
“Who is she?”
“It doesn’t say, but the entry’s dated 1775.”
“Angel was eighteen. And still human.”
“She’s pretty coiffed.”
“She looks like a noble woman or something. Which means being beautiful was sort of her job.”
“Clearly this girl was a workaholic.”
“She’s not that pretty. I mean, look at her. She’s got a funny…uh, waist. Look how tiny that is. She’s like a freak. A circus freak. Yuck.”
“Must’ve been wonderful. Put on some fantabulous gown and go to a ball like a princess, and have horses and servants, and yet more gowns.”
“Yeah. Still, I think I prefer being able to vote. Or I will when I can.”
Cordelia came into the bathroom and went to the mirror. “So, Buffy. You ran off last night and left poor little Angel all by his lonesome. But I did everything I could to comfort him.”
“Good for you.”
“So, what’s his story, anyway? I mean, I never see him around.”
“Not during the day, anyway,” Willow said.
“Oh, please. Don't tell me he still lives at home. Like, he has to wait for his dad to get back before he can take the car?”
“Cordelia, I think his parents have been dead for a couple of hundred years.”
“Oh, good. I mean… What?”
“Angel’s a vampire. I thought you knew. From the frat party night?”
“Oh, he’s a vampire. Of course! But the cuddly kind. Like a Carebear with fangs?
“It’s true,” Willow said.
“You know what I think? I just think you're trying to scare me off ‘cause you're afraid of the competition. Look, Buffy, you may be hot stuff when it comes to demonology or whatever, but when it comes to dating, I'm the Slayer.” She walked out.
“Can you believe her?” Willow said.
“Honestly, I don’t care if she wants Angel.” Buffy hopped off the sink.
“What? Since when? I thought there were fuzzy feelings.”
“There were, but that’s all it is. He’s a hottie, but I want someone that’s straight with me. That treats me like an equal. Angel and I are better off as friends.”
Willow frowned. “Don’t think Angel agrees.”
Buffy sighed. “I know. I don’t like hurting his feelings, but I’ve always had doubts, you know…and then at The Bronze last night, Cordelia made him laugh. I didn’t know he was capable of laughing. Told me I’m doing the right thing.”
“Wow…that’s so grown-up of you.”
“Come on. Let’s get the book back before Giles notices it’s gone.”
****
The store was full of mothers with their kids looking for Halloween costumes. Ethan’s Costume Shop. Buffy played with a plastic pumpkin. It suddenly lit up and screamed, and she put it back on the counter.
Willow joined her.
“What’d you get?”
“A time-honored classic!” She held up a ghost costume.
“Okay, Will, can I give you a little friendly advice?”
“It’s not spooky enough?”
“It's just...you're never gonna get noticed if you keep hiding. You're missing the whole point of Halloween.”
“Free candy?”
“It’s come as you aren’t night. The perfect chance for a girl to get sexy and wild with no repercussions.”
“Oh, I don’t get wild. Wild on me equals spaz.”
“Don’t underestimate yourself. You’re got it in you.”
“Hey, Xander!” He came up to them. “What’d you get?”
He pulled a toy rifle out of his bag and held it up.
“That’s not a costume,” Buffy said.
“I got fatigues from the Army surplus at home. Call me the Two-Dollar Costume King, baby!”
“Hey, Xander, have you forgiven Kendra, yet?”
“Do you mind, Buffy? I’m trying to repress.”
“Go talk to her. I’m sure she’ll promise to let you get pummeled from now on.”
“Okay… Y’know, I could’ve taken--”
Buffy started walking to a costume. “Willow, look at this.” She stopped at a frilly eighteenth century gown.
“It’s amazing.”
“Too bulky. I prefer my women in spandex.”
The shopkeeper noticed them looking at the dress and came over. “Please, let me.” He took the dress off the mannequin.
“It’s…” She nudged Willow in front of the mirror.
“Magnificent. Yes, I know. There.” He held it up to Willow. “My. Meet the hidden princess. I think we found a match. Don’t you?”
“Oh, uh, there’s no way--” Willow stammered.
“Oh, nonsense. I feel quite moved to make you a deal you can’t refuse.”
Buffy snatched the ghost costume from Willow’s hand. “See? Perfect.”
Willow held the dress up to her chin and smiled at the mirror.
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