Joyce glanced at the walls in her daughter's office. It was a lovely
room. Broad oak doors, hunter green carpeting, a mahogany desk, two cedar
cabinets, and on top of all that it was perfectly organized and very tidy.
The mother of the slayer was seated in a teakwood chair, there
were two of them in front of Buffy's desk. Buffy sat behind the desk. She
glanced up from the sketch she had been going over. Putting down her pencil,
Buffy looked up at Joyce expectantly, knowing that the woman whom she called
mom would want to start their little chat.
Buffy was tired that evening, and she wasn't in the mood to fight. Hell,
she was always in the mood to fight, lets just say that tonight she was to
tired to fight. So she had decided to act appropriatly and maturly, even
though she was really pissed at her mother and wanted to scream and yell at
her. Joyce looked at Buffy.
"Well, it seems as though you've been busy, what with those kids and
all."
Buffy smiled, this time a true smile. She loved talking about her two
babies. "Yeah, I really have been. They're so tiring, but its always worth
it to see those cute baby smiles.
The ice had been broken. Buffy and her mother began chatting like two old
friends, about children, work, and life in general. Inside, Joyce was
beaming. Buffy had grown up. She was mature, controlled, polite, and
intelligent. Her daughter had changed emensly, but for the better.
Their conversation turned over to the subject of Buffy's life, running
away, and slaying. Joyce feared for the worst. If she knew her daughter as
well as she thought, Buffy would probably get defensive, upset, and most
likely to the point of screaming.
But apparently Joyce didn't know her little girl as well as she thought.
Buffy spoke calmly of her life as the slayer. She was apologetic and sorry
that she had ran away.
Without any warning at all, a question that Joyce had been trying to
suppress but couldn't burst out of her mouth in a jumble of words.
"Why Angelus? Why not Angel? I thought you loved Angel! Is Angelus just a
replacement for him?"
Mrs. Summers put a hand over her mouth and gasped. She could not belive
that she had just said that. Quickly her she scanned her eyes over Buffy's
desk, in search of anything sharp that her daughter might have within reach.
Her eyes rested on a silver medal opener. Shit. If she had pissed Buffy off
as much as she thought she just had, Joyce knew damn well that that letter
opener would somehow find its way into her heart. Buffy's office had a solid
oak door. Nobody would be able to hear her scream. Shit.
Buffy's face hardened. She loved Angelus with all of her heart and soul.
Angel had been great. So caring, thoughtful, sensitive, and kind. Angelus
was all of those things, but he would never admit to it. He also had a mean
streak. Buffy and Angelus's relationship was very much like that of the way
Spike and Dru's used to be, except of course Buffy wasn't insane, Angelus
wasn't British, and they didn't torture kittens on Saturday nights for fun.
Angelus was ruthless, determined, and very stubborn. But when it came to
her, he was an entirly differant man. She wouldn't trade Angelus for Angel
any day.
"Mother, darling, although this is absolutly none of your damn business,
I'll enlighten you. I adore Angelus, and, as hard this must be for you to
grasp, because I know how much you adore Angel, it's over between him and I.
I love Angelus, my Angelus. Not Angel.
Joyce sighed heavily. She didn't care what Buffy said. Angelus was an
imposter. Angel should have rightfully been her daughter's husband.
Buffy noticed her mother's distress.
"Look, Mom, if you like him so much why don't *you* go out with him?"
Joyce knew she had los the arguement. Briskly she stood up.
"Mom, will you please send Oz and Willow in here?"
Joyce nodded and left the room.
********************************************************
Willow, Xander, Oz, Cordelia, and Giles had all gone into the office. All
of them were very surprised at the newfound maturity in th eslayer. Buffy
had talked to Xander, Willow, and Oz as her own self, not the phony she had
been with Giles, Joyce, and Cordelia.
Rupert Giles stepped out of the office. He sat back down on the couch.
"Angel, Buffy will see you in five minutes," he said, leaning against the
cushions.
Angel tried to hide his optimism. Finally, it would be his turn. He
needed to find out for himself if Buffy still had feelings for him. This
would be his chance.
Angelus was nervous. Horrid thoughts ran through his mind, all involving
Buffy, Angel, sex, and a Xerox machine. What if Buffy divorced him for
Angel? He could not live without *his* Buffy, he was certain. He loved her
more than he loved himself. She loved him for who he was, a monster. She was
the perfect woman, and she belonged to him. Angelus was very possessive, he
even got jealous when Buffy smiled at the doorman. He would go crazy if
someone else got to call Buffy their "girl" or "wife". She was his, and his
only. Shawn started to whimper. Imediatly Angelus abandoned his unpleasent
thoughts and focused his attention on his son.
Everyone's thoughts were interrupted by the clicking sounds of bolts
being unfastened and the front door opening.
"My damn wife sent me 'ove 'ere 'ta make sure you behave 'ya self, though
I doubt my presence will make a bloody differance," said a heavily accented
British voice.
Xander turned around. Spike. His second mortal enemy. Angelus was his
first. Wait, no, scratch that. Spike was his third mortal enemy. Oz had
stolen his Doritos's on the plane and Xander was still pissed at him.
"'Lo ducks!"
"William, go home! I'm having fun!" said Angelus.
"Yes, I'm sure you were," said Spike, ignoring the glare he got from
Angelus as he picked up Shawn and started playing with him.
Angelus was giving his peroxide blond friend a look that would scare the
living hell out of Medusa. He had been trying to get his son to sleep. Now
the kid would probably be up all night, and that would make Buffy mad. And
she would blame her husband. And he would have to sleep on the couch that
night, and not with his beautiful wife.
Willow raised her eyebrows. Spike? Playing with a baby? Keeping the
peace? Was she dreaming? And why in God's name wasn't he trying to rip her
throat out?
Meanwhile, back in the office........
To The Library
Part 5 just a click away!