Thursday evening:
Cordelia scrunched up her face as Angel swept out of the hotel lobby. She turned to Wes. "Okay, is it just me or is Angel starting to get a little creepy again?"
Wes let out a sigh. "I'm afraid it's not just you. He's beginning to act like he did when he…"
Cordelia finished. "…when he let all those lawyers die. When Drusilla and Darla were around."
Wes' lips tightened. "Indeed." Wes pushed his glasses up. "I don't know what's setting him off."
Cordelia snorted. "I know exactly what set him off." She walked over to the counter where Wes was standing and she tapped a buff colored envelope.
Wes grimaced. "The wedding invitation."
"Yes, the wedding invitation." Her eyes looked at the door again. "He can't handle it. He can't handle that she's marrying someone else, even if it is Giles."
"He seemed so calm that they were together when we were up there at Halloween."
"I know." She picked up the invitation and waved it in the air. "But this isn't all right. I mean it's clear as day when you see them that they belong together, but as long as they weren't married I guess he had this little part of him that could hope that one day…"
Wes took the envelope from her and opened it, pulling out the actual invitation. "I can hardly believe it myself. Buffy and Giles." He smiled crookedly. "Not that I should be surprised, it was the two of them against the world from the moment I met them, certainly the two of them against me."
Cordelia grinned. "My jaw almost dropped when I finally figured it out but once I did it made so much sense." She touched the invitation. "One week. A week from tomorrow and she'll be Mrs. Giles." Cordelia made a face. "Will she still call him Giles? That will be kind of weird."
Wes looked at Cordelia. "I'll tell you something else that Angel isn't crazy about."
"What?"
"You and Paul."
Cordelia winced. "I know. Those two are a little bit like oil and water. Paul can't stand him."
"I think Angel's afraid he'll take you away from him, and he's Giles' best friend so it's as if…"
"…Giles wins twice." Cordelia let out a deep breath. "I know but…"
Wes smiled kindly at her. "You like him."
"I do. I like him a lot."
"I like him too. I like that Roger bloke as well and his friend Linda. This new work they're doing with that man from the Council is very exciting."
Cordelia nodded. "John Drinan. He's great too. I met him when I was up there last weekend. The new lab is almost done. Linda is beside herself. And both Buffy and Spike have allowed themselves to be total guinea pigs for the cause."
Wes shook his head. "Pretty amazing that Buffy's allowing that at all considering what she's just been through."
"Well Buffy was always bounce back girl."
Wes pursed his lips as he considered Cordelia. "Would you move up there? If he asked you to?"
Cordelia sighed. "No, how can I? You guys need me here, I'm vision girl."
"Of course you are Cordelia but people move on, especially when they fall in love."
"Well, right now the answer is no. And he hasn't asked so let's not cross that bridge yet. I'm more worried about Angel. Do you think he'll be okay?"
"I don't know. I suppose I should talk to him."
Cordelia put her hand gently on Wes' arm. "Do me a favor, have a cross in your pocket when you do."
Wes looked at Cordelia with some concern. "You don't actually think he'd harm one of us, do you?"
Cordelia had been listening to Paul too much about the subject. "I don't know that either. I don't know if he's just going into a mega brood to end all broods or if something creepier is going on." She scrunched her face up again. "Should I call Buffy and warn her? I mean if he really…if he did…he'd…" She couldn't even finish her sentence.
Wes shook his head. "No, I don't believe he'll harm anyone. He still has a soul. It's not as if he's gone to work for Wolfram and Hart. Let's just watch him and if he gets any worse then maybe we should call."
Cordelia hesitated for a minute and then nodded her head. "Okay. Besides I'm going up there tomorrow for Buffy's shower, so if he's heading up there I'll have front row seats."
Wes winced. "Let's hope that doesn't happen."
Cordelia sighed one last time. "No kidding. Well, I'm heading home. Dennis will be pouring my bath any minute." She stretched, looking forward to a nice hot soak. "Goodnight, Wes."
"Goodnight, Cordelia."
***
Angel sat hunched at the bar, a few drinks to the worse. He could feel the dark gathering in him and he was tired of fighting it. He knew he should be meditating, or at least working off some of these feelings by finding something evil to kill. He knew the worst thing he could be doing was sitting here, drinking, letting it build inside but he couldn't seem to help it, pushed past the point of caring.
He forgot sometimes. Wrapped in the comfort of friends and the semblance of a real life he could forget that he was a demon. The soul made him care, but it was times like this that reminded him that the demon was always there, right beneath the surface, wanting to break out, to hurt, to kill. And he knew who he wanted to hurt now.
He'd known they were together, he'd seen them. But when he'd seen that wedding invitation something had let go inside. Angel couldn't get the image of them out of his head, the image of Giles holding her, touching her, on top of her, in her, her legs wrapped around him. Angel's fingers were clasping the bar so tightly that he left a slight indentation. His thoughts were merciless. He couldn't stand that Giles would be the one she turned to in all things. That Giles would be the one she would marry and cleave herself to. Angel had thought that he had moved past it, that he had moved past Buffy, but it was clear that he hadn't. Not even close, maybe not ever.
He could still remember torturing Giles when he had lost his soul. Things had been foggy at first but it had all come back. After all, that was part of the curse. To remember everything. A part of him wished he was back there now. If he'd killed Giles then, none of this would be happening now. Angel took a long swallow of his whiskey. Missed opportunities. He ordered another drink.
Next Friday they'd be married. The wedding was being considerately held in the evening so he and Spike could attend. So thoughtful of them. Angel had to fight to keep his human face on. He had no intention of going. If he saw Giles and Buffy together right now, saw them pledging themselves to each other, he'd lose it completely and instead of a celebration, there'd be a funeral. Maybe a couple of them. Possibly his own if someone got lucky, but at least he'd take Giles with him. So, best just to stay away. He took another sip.
And if anyone got lucky it would be Paul. Angel could feel Paul watching him whenever he was around. He knew that someone had told him what he'd done when he was Angelus. Paul would be easy prey but there was no doubt that he would stand between him and Giles. It would give everyone else that extra second to…Angel shook his head, alarmed at where his thoughts kept taking him. And yet there was a comfort in allowing those thoughts free rein, a seductive pathway that he'd denied himself for so long.
Angel wondered if there was any chance that Buffy still had feelings for him, if it was just the curse that was keeping her away. That perhaps she was settling on Giles because he, Angel was unavailable. He could understand that. It was certainly all he'd done. Anyone he'd looked at had been a substitute for Buffy. He would even be okay with this wedding if he knew it was a farce, if he knew that Buffy still loved him, that she still wanted him, that when she gave herself to Giles that he was merely a substitute for the vampire she still longed for. The need to know, to reassure himself grew strong.
Angel felt arms wrap around him from behind before he even sensed anyone there. A feminine voice crooned in his ear as her hands caressed his chest. "You were so very naughty."
Angel put his hands on top of hers to stop their movement. "Dru. When did you get back in town?"
She seductively moved around him until she was standing between his bar stool and the one next to him, her body inches from his. "Did you like it? Did you like seeing me dance in the flames?" She morphed into her vampire face and hissed at Angel. "Did you like watching me burn?" One hand moved again, rubbing over his nipples.
"Stop that, Dru."
"We have to fix the world again, my sweet. It's all dark and hazy. The stars won't even show their faces."
"What are you talking about?"
"She stole my Spike from me. It's not right. It's not right for her to be happy." Her hand started to move lower and again he stopped her.
Angel could feel his demon mocking him as he spoke, feel the darkness inside. "There's nothing we can do about it. I'm not hurting Buffy." He hated to say it but he forced himself to, "…or Giles." He still hadn't turned to face Drusilla.
Drusilla leaned in closer. "Don't want to hurt the sweet Watcher with lips like cherries and a tongue so warm and strong." She licked the side of Angel's face from his jaw to his temple. "Not like that, not with pain, not with blood."
"Dru, what are you talking about?"
She held out her hand. Resting in her palm were two vials filled with a yellowish powder. She placed them on the bar. "Look, someone gave me a present." Drusilla held up two fingers and undulated them in front of his eyes. She crooned softly to him.
Angel grabbed her hand and lowered it. "That doesn't work on me, you can't hypnotize me like you can your human prey."
She smiled coquettishly at him. "No, my dark Angel, it's not for you."
"Who's it for then?"
"I want to kiss him again." She hummed softly to herself, her eyes closed as if she was lost in her memories.
Angel turned and faced her. "You want to hypnotize Giles again?"
Dru slid between his legs. She lifted her fingers and waved them in front of his face again. "I want to make him mine."
"By hypnotizing him?"
"By making him forget. By making him forget her so he'll kiss me." She ran her tongue over her bottom lip.
"You can make him forget?"
Dru let out a drunken sounding laugh. "We can make him forget." She leaned in and whispered in his ear. "You know where he is. You know how to get him for me."
"What can we make him forget?" Angel smiled at the thought of a Giles who didn't remember being in love with Buffy, a Giles who had no memory of his new friends.
Dru smiled and drew a circle counter clockwise on the bar, over and over again. "I'll turn the clock backwards until you tell me to stop."
"Will it be permanent?" He scooped the vials off the bar.
She shook her head sadly. "No, it's just a game. Just a game to make it the way it was for a little while."
Angel smiled. Maybe it would be long enough. Long enough for him to talk to Buffy, find out how she was really feeling.
At his smile Dru let out another laugh. "You like this game, don't you? Won't it be a lovely one?" She wet one of her fingers with her tongue and used it to wet Angel's lips. "We'll make the stars sing again. But don't worry. If they grow dark again we can always play another game."
Angel gave into the temptation and kissed Drusilla, biting her lips hard enough to draw blood. She pulled her head away delighted, licking her lips, tasting her blood. Angel looked at her. "Just a game?" The darkness within him grew and he smiled. "And what's wrong with a game between friends, right?"
Dru smiled back. "Maybe Spike will want to play."
Angel shook his head. "No, Spike won't want to play. You can't go anywhere near him."
Dru hissed again. "She stole him from me. My beautiful Spike."
Angel didn't want to talk about Spike. Looking down at the vials in his hand he spoke. "We'll need a dart gun."
She let out a sultry laugh. "I knew you were the one. I knew you would help me." Running her hand down his chest again she cooed at him. "Hurry now, we mustn't keep the stars waiting."
Angel nodded. "I'll be back in an hour. Be ready." She stood there, her body weaving a little, a dreamy look on her face. He left her standing there as he headed back to the hotel.
***
Buffy lay in bed, her head on Giles' belly as she admired her engagement ring again. Giles softly laughed and Buffy turned to kiss his stomach. She glanced up at him, grinning. "I can't help it, I love it so much."
"I think you love that ring more than you love me."
"Ha ha. Don't get me wrong, the diamond is gorgeous but it's what it means that makes me love it." She scooted up in bed and pressed her lips against his. "It's you loving me, that's what it means. With a really, really big diamond."
Giles hugged her tightly. "You are worth a dozen really big diamonds." He reached for her hand and looked at her ring. "That ring on your finger, it tells me that you're mine. That in one week you will be my wife." He let out a quick laugh.
Buffy gave him a lopsided smile. "What?" She frowned. "You find something amusing in that thought, mister?" Buffy sent him a mock glare.
"No, I find something unbelievable in that thought. I still can't believe it sometimes. You'd think I'd be used to it by now but I'm not."
She kissed him again. "It hasn't really been that long." She started counting off. "Just a little over six months." She smiled at him, sighing. "But I know what you mean. Married. You and me. Can you imagine if someone had told us that when we first met, that we'd end up getting married?"
Giles snorted. "You'd have run retching for the bathroom and I'd…"
"You'd what?"
"I'd have had visions of metal bars or deportation."
She looked at him. "Did you think about me that way at all? You know, when I was in high school. Did you ever wonder?"
"Would you feel quite pleased with yourself if I said yes?"
Buffy grinned. "Uh huh."
Giles chuckled. "I suppose the thought crossed my mind every now and then, when you'd show up in those dresses of yours that were so short they made me nervous. But I tried very hard not to. It would have been wildly inappropriate, not to mention illegal."
"Don't you want to know if it ever crossed my mind?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because I already know the answer. You thought I was very, very old, in addition to all the other charming adjectives you used to describe me."
"So shoot me. I was stupid." She looked at him, daring him to ask.
Giles let out a sigh. "So, did it ever cross your mind?" He winced, not really wanting to hear her answer.
Buffy kissed him again. "Yup."
Giles' eyebrows rose. "When?"
"When you stuck that sword in the mayor for me."
Giles grinned. "Really?"
"Yup and that night in the car, after Angel got turned and you were so wonderful to me. Just for a minute I wondered what it would have been like if I'd slept with you instead of Angel." She sighed unhappily. "I wish I had."
Giles held her tightly but shook his head. "While I can certainly say that I wished you had never slept with Angel, you were still far too young for me to sleep with, and I don't imagine that would have ended particularly well either."
"I'm sorry I did sleep with him. I'm sorry about so many things."
Giles touched her cheek. "Buffy, I never would have asked my question if I thought it would end up making you feel so sad. That was a long time ago, the things he did, the pain he caused. And as odd as it is to say, I'm glad it happened, not what he did to Jenny but what he did to me."
"How can you say that?"
He glanced over his shoulder. "If I didn't have these scars, I don't know that we ever would have ended up together. In a certain light, Angel is responsible for us being together, for being in love."
Buffy looked at her cuticles for a minute. "Do you think if Angel hadn't killed Jenny that you'd still be together?"
"Oh Buffy. How can I answer that? Would you still be with Riley if he hadn't left? All I can tell you is what I had with Jenny pales in comparison to what I feel for you. And I would have missed out on so much if she and I had stayed together." He stroked her hair. "I'd like to believe that eventually we'd have worked it out, you and I, that we belong together."
Buffy repeated his words. "That we belong together." She smiled softly at him. "You know, now, looking back, I can see that we always did belong together. You and me, like salt and peppershakers. Slayer and Watcher."
Giles lifted her hand again and kissed her ring. "Husband and wife."
Again she repeated his words. "Husband and wife." Her voice was reverent. She growled all of a sudden.
Giles looked at her in some surprise. "Buffy?"
"Somehow the thought of that makes me want you, a lot."
A slow delighted grin formed on his face. "So come and take me."
She grinned back. "You know what? I think I will." Moving to straddle Giles' body she leaned down to kiss him.
***
Friday dusk:
As Giles locked up the shop his thoughts were on Buffy. Willow had thrown Buffy her bridal shower this afternoon over at Roger and Linda's. Willow had decided to hold it in the afternoon to keep the possibility of anything evil from disturbing it to a minimum. It would be wrapping up by the time he got home.
Giles was hoping that the wedding would go undisturbed as well. They knew they'd taken a chance sending wedding invitations out. If any of them ended up in the wrong hands there'd be hell to pay, literally, if someone took the wrong kind of interest in it. They were all keeping their fingers crossed.
Giles headed out the back door and locked it behind him. Fumbling for his car key in the dark he neglected to look around. Giles felt something sharp pierce his shoulder. He turned and could just see the dart. He reached behind him and yanked it out, moving quickly to hide behind his car. Keys still in hand he felt them, trying to identify the car key. Staying hidden he looked across the street, straining to see who had attacked him. His vision was beginning to blur but he could just make out the outlines of two people.
Giles dropped the keys, his fingers growing nerveless. Grasping for them he fell on his knees. He could hear footsteps approaching from across the street. He tried again to see who it was but the drug overwhelmed him and he collapsed, sprawling on the cement next to his car.
Dru smiled at Angel as she stooped next to Giles. She ran her hand down his face and then down his arm. "Beautiful Watcher." She grinned up at Angel. "He's asleep. He must be tired." She started to croon to him. "Hush little baby don't say a word…" Dru lifted Giles up and rested his head against her breast, rocking him.
Angel picked up Giles' keys and unlocked his car. "Come on, we can't stay here, it's too open."
Dru pouted but together she and Angel managed to get Giles in the backseat. She crawled in next to him while Angel got into the driver's seat. Pushing Giles' unconscious body up against the seat as if he were sitting she straddled his lap. Dru bit his lip, just hard enough to draw blood. She slipped into her game face and eagerly lapped it up. "His blood's so sweet."
Angel could smell the blood. He lost a little more control. Reaching from the front seat he fisted his hand in Dru's hair. Grabbing it hard he pulled her towards him, eliciting a cry of pain and pleasure from her. Angel licked her lips, trying to get a small taste himself. Then in his own game face he snarled at her. "He can't die yet. We haven't even started to play." He gestured back at Giles. "Hurry up, the drug will wear off soon." Angel let Dru go and turned to start the car.
Dru smiled again at Giles. She sneaked a peak at Angel, and seeing that he was preoccupied driving she dropped her head and licked Giles' neck. Sighing deeply she sat back up and with a feral grin she slapped Giles across the face. "Wakey, wakey." She slapped him again. "Miss Edith is expecting you." Again she slapped him, accidentally drawing blood on his cheek. She licked the wound and then moved down to kiss him on the lips.
Giles spoke drowsily, trying to force his eyes open. "Buffy?"
Angel's eyes grew dark in the front seat. Dru captured Giles' eyes and spoke to him. "No, it's Jenny."
***
By the time Dru had finished Angel had arrived at his destination and parked the car. Giles was still groggy and he was still in Drusilla's thrall. Angel rolled his eyes when he saw that she was kissing him again. Yanking her off of him he snarled. "Dru, leave off. Time for the games to start."
At his words Dru hissed. "I am playing."
Angel shook his head. "Time for a different game."
Dru turned back to Giles and ran her finger down his chest. "I like my game."
"You can play it again later. It's my turn now." Angel opened his car door. "Help me get him out."
With Angel's promise that she could have Giles later, Dru got out of the car as well and assisted him. After looking around to make sure no one was looking they dragged Giles out and left him on the doorstep. After putting Giles' keys in his hand, Angel couldn't resist and he kicked him hard in his side. Smiling at Giles' groan he and Drusilla headed off into the darkness, moving far enough away to remain undetected but close enough for Angel to make sure that they'd been successful in turning back the hands of time.
***