Buffy reached the top of the stairs and reached behind her for Spike’s hand. He took her hand, and pulled her to him as soon as they were out of Angel’s line of vision. Their lips touched gently, just long enough to make Spike’s heart race, and for Buffy to sense it.
“Let’s get you settled in. This is my room,” she opened the door and waved her hand so he could take a peek inside. Then she walked him down the hall a few feet to the next room. “This is yours.” She walked in and showed him where everything was kept, and opened the adjoining door to her own room. “And this, is a shortcut back to mine.”
Spike raised his eyebrow at her comment. Good Lord, this woman will be the death of me.
“Just in case you need anything, that is.” Buffy batted her eyelashes.
“I suppose I could think of a few things, but if you don’t mind, I’d like to take a quick shower.” A cold shower…
Buffy walked over to him, and rose up on her tiptoes and kissed him quickly. “Fine by me. I need to freshen up too. Come find me in my room when you’re done. I will get some more of Angel’s books and we can go through them together.” One more kiss, and she turned and left, closing the door behind her.
Spike sighed. His cold shower awaited.
Buffy ran right into Angel’s chest as she entered the hall.
“Were you listening at the door?!” she asked him, obviously offended.
“Did you forget I don’t need to stand outside his door to hear you two?” Angel grabbed her arm and ushered her further down the hall out of Spike’s earshot. “Just what are you doing with him, Buffy? First of all, he’s too young for you. Secondly, he’s the Slayer and I know the blood lust all too well. Stay on track, Buffy. He’s too much of a temptation. You need to distance yourself from him. You decided what you wanted a long time ago; don’t let your lust cause you to stray. The blood of a Slayer is powerful. Powerful enough to draw you back to the lifestyle you’ve been trying to put behind you.” Angel’s concern was clearly defined in his expression.
In an angry whisper, she hissed her response. “Back off, Angel. You are not my Sire or my father, and last I checked I was able to make my own decisions. I won’t lie and say I’m not drawn to him, but I don’t think it’s as simple as blood lust. I haven’t strayed, not once since Dru left, and I have no desire to slip back into that lifestyle. That was my past, and it's not to be discussed in front of Spike or anyone else. Just because your past is public knowledge, doesn’t mean I want mine to be.” A low growl rose within her chest. She knew better to challenge an elder vampire, but her feelings on this topic were far too strong. Grandsire or not, she wasn’t cowering to him.
“You’re telling me that when you do sleep with him you won’t be tempted at all to take his blood? When he’s as vulnerable as a man can be, and completely at your mercy? That hot, powerful, delicious blood racing through his veins. Hell, you might bite him just on instinct, not even meaning to do it. It‘s that powerful a lure. I think you know you’re foolish not to heed my warnings, childe. I suggest you rethink your position on this,” Angel hissed back.
“We’re done here.” Buffy walked past him and slammed her door behind her.
Rupert Giles had landed in America for what he hoped would be the last time. He disliked all that was America and its people. Their ideas, their lifestyles, and most of all their disrespect. Every child was raised to be freethinking and to make the world a better place. Sickening, he almost gagged. He looked around the airport for a porter. He spotted a simple-minded one in a poorly fitting uniform and beckoned him near.
“Sir? May I take your luggage?” he asked as he stumbled in his rush to assist the well-dressed man, hoping for a decent tip before he got off work in the next hour.
Giles rolled his eyes, but recognized this as a perfect scenario. This buffoon will never ask questions if tipped well. “Yes… Julio. I want you to take my bags and arrange for a large van for me. I have a crate to pick up as well. All will be delivered to this address.” He handed a folded piece of paper to him along with three hundred dollar bills. “I am also looking for a car and driver for a few days. I need someone prompt and discreet. Do you know of anyone?”
Julio quickly wondered if his cousin could get him a town car from the limo service he worked for. “I think I might be able to take care of it for you. Let me make a call. Give me five minutes. I will get your van first.”
Giles nodded and pulled his own mobile phone out, time to let Angelus know he was in town.
The phone ringing in the office of the Hyperion did nothing to lighten the level of anger coursing through Angel.
Stomping down the stairs, he finally reached the phone, and snatched it from its cradle roughly.
“Angel Investigations, how can I help you?” he asked through gritted teeth.
“Angel, sorry to bother you so late, but I wanted you to know I had arrived in LA. I will be dropping by in a few hours if that fits your schedule. Has my Slayer arrived yet?” Rupert Giles was eager to get William back into his fold.
“Rupert, glad to hear from you. Yes, your Slayer is here. He and Buffy are here at the hotel. I must tell you that they arrived together, and when I say together, I mean together. They seem to have feelings for each other. I can only assume you have issues with this as well.” Angel had originally hoped to convince the Slayer to join his cause, but now, all he wanted was to get him away from Buffy.
“Buffy? Drusilla’s childe?” Giles’ knowledge of the Aurelian clan was very detailed, and aside from Angelus, they were all bloodthirsty killers. “Why?”
“Buffy works for me now, so she isn’t a threat to your Slayer, but he is a threat to her. I want nothing more than to put some space between them. It’s just unnatural.” Angel wasn’t about to reveal his real reason, it was no one’s business but his own for now.
“So you’re saying she’s reformed? Does she have her soul as well?” Giles asked.
“No, she does not, but I don’t want to see her regress to her old ways. The pull of a Slayer’s blood to a vampire is strong, and I don’t know how long she will be able to keep her demon at bay,” he said, remembering his own experience on the topic.
“I suppose you would know,” the tone in his voice darkened.
“Enough talk of the past, Watcher. I have a room made up for you here. How soon should I expect you?” Angel snapped, irritated that he was obligated to offer him a place to stay.
“For now, yes it is, Angelus. The Council has already set up my accommodations, but thank you for the offer. I will meet up with you, let’s say sundown, at your hotel, if that works.” Giles could feel his mood shifting. This will take a little bit more of ‘Ripper’ than I thought to pull it off, and I have no problem with that…
“Fine. Looking forward to meeting with you. I hope you have a plan in the works.”
“I do, don’t worry that big head of yours another second,” Giles prodded.
“Good. Until then.” Angel hung up the phone. He hated Rupert Giles. He had called, only hoping to rub it in his face that the latest Slayer was working with him. Now, he needed him to get that Slayer away from Buffy.
Giles folded his phone and slipped it into the pocket of his tweed blazer. He hated this look, hated the feel of the confining fabric, but it was needed to pull this off. He needed to look like what a Watcher was supposed to look like. A learned man, eager to train his new Slayer. He shuddered briefly as he saw the porter approaching him with a smile.
“I have your van, which should be arriving on the tarmac now to load your crate, and a car will be waiting out front within the next twenty minutes. If you don’t mind, I would like to be your driver.” Julio had secured the car easily enough, and had cash to give his cousin for the favor. He hoped that the man didn’t have any issues with him being his driver, or that he didn’t see the dollar signs dancing in his eyes.
“Not at all, boy. I will pay you cash at the end of each day, but you and the car will be available to me at all times. I expect you to speak only when spoken to, and I demand your discretion when it comes to any and all of my business dealings. Shall we say another three hundred a day?” Giles knew this was more money than this dullard made in a week.
Julio smiled and bowed comically, “At your service, sir.”
“Call me Mr. Giles. Now, lead me to the car.”
Spike opened the shared door to Buffy’s room to find she hadn’t taken a shower yet. She was sitting on the small sofa, irritation oozing from every pore.
“What happened?” he said as he quickly found his way to her side.
“Nothing you need to worry about,” she said, forcing a smile to her face. “Just, Angel seems to forget that I’m a big girl now.”
“You sure you don’t want to talk about it? I’m a good listener,” he offered.
“No. I’m ok, really. I didn’t get any books for us to look through though, do you mind just watching a bit of TV as we fall asleep?” Buffy grabbed the remote and walked over to the bed.
“Are you sure, you want me to … sleep… with you? I mean, if Angel’s got some issues with me…”
Buffy patted the bed, “His issues are with me, not you. And I am a big girl. Now, if you get over here now, I might even let you have the remote.”
At that very moment, Spike knew he would never be able to tell her no. He accepted her invitation, and soon they were snuggled together as the blue flicker of the television lulled them into a peaceful sleep.