Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all characters are copyright and trademarks of WB, David Greenwalt, Joss Whedon, 20th Century Fox, and others. please do not plagiarize or anything. LOVE YA
Chapter 31: In Talks
"So, baby, do you want to feel it?" a man said.
"Oh yeah." the girl said, looking around, " Why here in a cemetary?"
"It sets the mood." the man said, kissing her, then licking her neck.
The girl moaned, " That's so...ow! OWWWWW OUCH!" the girl said as the vampire bit into her neck.
Suddenly, the vampire flew off her and landed a few yards away. She looked up to see a guy who wore baggy pants and a brown zip-up hoodie.
"Hey." Austin said, " You should run now."
The girl got up and ran as Austin turned to the vampire. The vampire charged at me, but I spun around and staked it in the back.
"When vampires start to look good, maybe I really need to get laid...seriously." Austin said to himself as he walked away.
I walked through the grocery store, trying to find Spongebob or Scooby Doo gummies and perhaps some real food. Since Willow and Faith had been staying with me, food disappeared a lot. And add Charity...Wow. That's my only reply. Things were good. I mean, I had talked to Dawn...actually, Dawn through Buffy, but you get what you get. This new super market was a disaster...totally not like the one at hom...Sunnydale. I had become worried about my friends, though. Doug and Kelly's relationship was rocky at best. Very much with the rocks. And as for Oz and the Dingoes, they were more awesome than ever, but this place is dangerous. Something was definitely up with Doug, but I had no idea what...call it slayer intuition. I just wish slayer intuition could have protected me from dumb, awkward situations.
"Austin?" a voice asked.
I turned to see RJ Brooks. He was an ex...with a really great jacket. Or at least he had it until he put Willow, Dawn, Buffy, and Anya under his thrall and they had to destroy it. He was a major hottie and he'd gotten even more buff since the last time I saw him, which was just before Sunnydale's crumbling.
"RJ, hi." I smiled.
"Hey, I saw you at that one club....ummm, Copper?" RJ chuckled, " I mean, you were...not exactly sure what you were doin."
"Yeah...Haven't seen you since you, oh, I don't know, cheated on me and left me for some chick." I said quickly.
"Yeah, about that..." he said nervously, " I'm sorry, but in all fairness, she was hot."
"Yeah. You're pretty much still a pig." I said walking away.
RJ jogged beside me, " Yeah, but a cute pig...like Babe." he smiled.
"More like a very seriously lacking Porky." I said quickly.
RJ chuckled nervously, " I was thinking maybe we could go out one day..." he smiled.
"Not soon." I said, finding the Scooby Doo gummies and heading to self-checkout.
"Are you serious?" RJ asked.
"Pretty much." I said, checking out.
"Come on!" RJ sighed, " Why do you have to be like this?"
"Like what?" I asked.
"Complicated." RJ said, " I'm just a regular person, asking you to give me another chance."
"I remember that speech. That's how I lost half my virginity." I smirked, " That really doesn't work now."
RJ nodded, " Still defensive, huh? Just give me one date to prove that I've changed." he smiled.
"Okay, Jockhead, when?" I asked.
"Well, I'm thinking Friday since the really good resturaunts are opening then...the bummer of a new town." RJ said.
"Cool." I said, taking his hand and pulling out a pen, " This is my number." I said, writing on his hand, " Call me."
"Cool." he shouted as I left.
Doug and Kelly sat in Doug's apartment, trying to watch 'Bruce Almighty' on USa. Of course things hadn't been too good in their relationship lately, but maybe things would change. Of course they would...they had to. How many more silent moments and awkward foreplay were they to endure? Soon the movie was over and Kelly picked up the remote, switching to Grey's Anatomy.
Kelly chuckled at the movie, but Doug didn't want to watch Grey's Anatomy.
"Can we watch something else?" Doug asked.
Kelly stopped and looked at him, " Sure, if you want." she said calmly handing him the remote.
Doug changed the Channel, " So, is this all we're doing? How about going to the Copper?" he asked.
"Well, I figured I'd stay here with you tonight. Alone time." Kelly said quickly.
"Oh." Doug said indifferently, " I just thought that we should go out and do stuff."
"Well, if the doctor says that you should relax." Kelly said softly.
"I'm all better, see me...making with the better?" he asked.
"Yeah, but babe, you fell pretty hard and I just don't want you..." she started.
"You're not my mother! If I want to go out, I think I deserve to go out!" he shouted.
Kelly got up and grabbed her purse, " Look, we've been friends for so long and...I'm not going to sit here and let you talk to me like that!" she said opening the door, " I moved from my parents house two years ago." she said, slamming the door. Doug ran to the door, but didn't open it. Instead he ran to the closet and rummaged through the magic chest and found some candles and sand. He used the sand to make a pentegram, then lit the candles and began chanting in the middle of the pentegram. He was invoking some god or other to heal him. To make him happy. As he finished the changt, there was a burst of light and he skidded back across the room and smashed into the wall, then got up and cracked his neck.
"All better." he smiled, walking to the door.
Faith found herself watching as Charity got handled by a pretty nasty new vampire. Charity had a wild element about her, but so did the vamp. The vampire was swift, yet unyielding. He could take a hit. Charity tried her best and found herself overwhelmed by this vampire.
"Faith..." Charity said, struggling against the vampire. Suddenly the vampire stopped and turned to dust.
Faith stretched her hand to Charity, " Not as tough as you thought, huh newbie." she smiled.
Charity took her hand and stood, " I guess not." she said, " What's with these vampires? Are they on steroids?"
"I dunno. Seems like it, huh?" Faith said, " Shoulda been at the Hellmouth...that was...hell." she shrugged.
Charity laughed, " So, what's the deal with Buffy?" she asked, " Where do you guys stand?"
Faith looked at her as they walked, " Buffy is...complicated. It's sorta like you and Austin. We're somewhere near peace, I guess." she said.
"So, Buffy's overbearing and judgemental too?" Charity asked.
"Yeah, but in a good way. They both are." Faith said, " She gave me every chance to be her friend the first time, but I wasn't there yet."
"Been there." Charity said.
"So, why me?" Faith asked.
"What?" Charity asked, confused.
"Austin said something about role-playing. Personally, I'd pick the naughty nurse, but...why would you pick me, of all people?" Faith asked, truly intrigued.
"Well, you and Buffy are epic. You're the dark slayer. Super sexy and cool and it's very the ultimate struggle. I thought I was special, then I found out I'm not the only one. Elimination was the only way. Plus, the bittersweet friendship with the options of mortal death. It's all kinda cool." Charity said.
"Cool? That's not cool." Faith said, " Cool is this new kick I'm on."
"Oh yeah," Charity said, " the whole, 'redemption' thing. How's that working?"
"It's good. As far as not dying or beingn in a coma can be." Faith said.
"So...does it work?" Charity asked.
"You tell me." Faith said as they left the cemetary, " Let's go clubbin."
"Thank god for you." Charity said, dusting herself off.
The Dingoes were rockin' on stage! It was a great night, but Oz couldn' drop the feeling that he was being watched. Of course he was being watched, this was stupid...but someone else was watching him, but he couldn't worry about that. He had to go on for the band. After the band finished their set, Oz and the band walked to the dressing room. In the audience, Willow and I sat at the table, enjoying the bands. Apparently some band named 'Nerf Herders' were up next.
"Too bad you're barely eighteen." Willow smiled, " If you were older, you could drink."
I chuckled, " Yeah. Then maybe I'd gain some courage." I said.
"You could always see a wizard." Willow said.
"I am a wizard." I replied.
"Oh yeah." she said, " So, you're not worried a groupie is going to snatch up Oz?"
"Are you?" I smirked, " Besides, if groupies make him happy, then I say go ahead!" I lied.
Willow looked at me oddly, " Yeah, see, your lying ability decreased when you became a slayer." she chuckled.
"I ran into RJ." I said.
Willow choked on her drink, " What?" she asked
"Yeah. That was sorta my reaction." I said.
"Does he have another jacket?" Willow asked.
I looked at her, " WILL!" I said, surprised.
"What?" she giggled, " So, what's there?"
"History." I answered.
"Anything else?" Willow asked.
"He was kinda totally sexy. But he was sexy when he dumped me." I said.
"He didn't dump you. You dumped him...after he cheated." Willow said slowly, " I see your point."
"Yeah. I so thought about outing him, but that wouldn't be right...plus, the world was going to hell, so..." I said casually.
"Of course." Willow giggled, " So, what are we gonna do now?"
"I was thinking I'd stay away from all undead things and have lots of sex, but since I'm the slayer, I'm bethrowed to undead things and also, I have no boyfriend, so not gonna be screwin anytime soon." I said sadly.
"Screwin? What happened to love?" Willow asked.
"Screw love. Love is for quitters." I chuckled, " I'm thinking jail wouldn't have been so bad."
"Ok, ewww." Willow said quickly.
"So, why's Kennedy 'away'?" I asked.
"No reason." Willow said quietly.
"Willow..." I said slowly, " Why is she away from the Scoobs."
Willow sipped her drink, " Bad things seem to happen to people I love around..."
"Buffy." I said quickly.
"...Yeah. Is that wrong? Am I a bad friend?" Willow asked.
"No...and yes! You can't blame her for bad things that happen. Tara getting shot was Warren's fault. And yeah, people die around slayers, it's our curse. It's...death. It's our gift. If Kennedy's going to die, she's going to die." I said softly.
"I think you're right." she said softly.
I chuckled, " Would you mind if I went to see Oz?" I asked.
"Only if you 'screw' him." she smiled.
I smiled and left the table. As I left, Kelly entered and sat down.
"Hey, Kelly, what's with the sour puss?" Willow asked.
Kelly looked at her in shock.
"Why the long face." Willow sighed.
"Oh, umm, Doug and I aren't working." Kelly said.
"Yeah. You got that too?" Willow asked, causing Kelly to look at her.
As I walked to the dressing room, I ran into Devon, the lead singer. He told me that Oz was in the dessing room with some chick and my heart sank. He said the rest of the band had gone out into the audience to get drinks. I nodded and thanked him and headed to the dressing room anyways. As I got closer, I listened for noises and heard someone shouting.
"COME! TURN!" someone shouted behind closed doors, " You killed my mother! TURN!"
I tried to open the door, but it was locked, so I kicked it down to see some chick standing in front of him with a piece of silver at his throat. She turned and looked at me.
"Get out!" she screamed.
"What? I can't do that..." I said, moving closer.
"STOP OR I WILL FREAKIN DECAPITATE HIM!" she screeched.
I stopped, " Look, either way, you're not hurting him, so just drop it." I said calmly.
Oz looked at me and rolled and kicked the knife from her hand as she tried to stab at him! I punched her in the face and she stumbled back.
"Ok, looks like you're super too." I said quickly.
The girl looked at me, then Oz and ran out of the room.
I ran to Oz, " Are you okay?" I asked, checking him out.
"Yeah, she just attacked me, talking about I killed her...mother."
"Did you?" I asked.
"No. Unless her mom was a vampire." Oz said.
"Okay. Not sure vampires can have kids, but are you sure you're okay?" I asked, staring into his eyes.
We were silent for a minute.
"Yeah, uhmm, I think we should get out of here before anything else happens." Oz said, getting to his feet.
I nodded, " Right." I said, throwing his arm around my shoulder, " You should stay at my house."
"Is there room?" he asked.
"Yeah. I'm sure we could fit you in." I smiled as we headed home.
[ cue the music: Stolen by Dashboard Confessional]
Faith and Charity danced with a group of guys at Copper. Willow and Kelly laughed and had fun, then joined Faith and Charity on the dance floor. Kelly looks away and walks away.
[the music volume lowers.]
Doug opens his door to see Kelly standing there.
"Come in." Doug said, gesturing her inside.
"I can't." Kelly said softly.
"You can't come in? Got somewhere to go?" Doug chuckled.
"No. This." Kelly said, " We've been friend too long and...We're going to be friend forever, but...we just aren't meant to be together. I know you feel it too."
Doug nodded and a tear fell from his eyes and Kelly kissed his forehead.
"I love you." Doug said.
"I love you too." Kelly said, walking away.
Doug watched her walk away and finally slammed the door shut.
[the music volume resumes]
Faith, Willow, and Charity continue to dance with a group of friends....
Doug pulls out his magic chest...
Kelly is walking home, crying...
Austin cuddles up into Oz's arms as they fall into a deep sleep.
Thank you for reading. If you want another chapter, I'm really going to need more feedback.