Timeless Passion
Author: Mr.Pointy
Editor: Serena
Angel:
“Passion…it is born…and though uninvited, unwelcome, unwanted, it takes root... like a cancer… it festers, it bleeds, it scabs…only to rupture, and bleed anew. It grows… it thrives…until it consumes. It lives…so, it must die…in timeâ€
***
Buffy, Xander, Willow and Cordelia were at The Bronze. It was dark. The Bronze, as it is the only hip place in town, was teeming with young people. Buffy dances with Xander, while Willow and Cordelia chat at the table.
Suddenly, Angel appears at the doorway. He stares an unblinking, unsettling stare at Buffy as she dances.
Later that night, Buffy and Co leave the Bronze. There is a couple in the corner necking. The couple’s passion hides their faces. As the gang past, the female slides to the floor. In his morph face, Angel smiles. He watches Buffy walk away. As she does, he morphs back to his ‘Angel’ face.
Buffy closes her window, and locks it. She removes the dress she wore at the Bronze, then changes into her nightdress. She slips under the sheets and reaches over and turns off the lamp. She doesn’t notice Angel silhouetted by the moonlight.
Later that night, Buffy sleeps. There is no sign of Angel… Then, Angel, emerging from the shadows, lifts a strand of hair off of Buffy’s face. He sits on her bed.
A security blanket of sunshine lights the room as Buffy wakes. Buffy rolls onto her side, coming face to face with an envelope made of parchment paper. The envelope is propped against the side of her pillow at eye level. She sits up, her heart racing. She picks up the envelope, and removes a sheet of parchment paper. It unfolds to reveal a charcoal sketch. The drawing is a skilled, accurate and lovingly rendered picture of Buffy sleeping, her head on her pillow.
The gang were situated in the library.
“He was in my room,†Buffy told Giles as the rest of the Scooby gang sat at the table. Buffy walked across the room, towards the table, plopping her bag on it.
“Who?†Giles asked.
“Angel. He was in my room last night,†Buffy explained.
Giles, obviously concerned, asked, “You’re sure?â€
“Positive.†Buffy replied, “When I woke up, I found a picture he’d left by my pillow.â€
“A visit from the pointed-tooth fairy,†Xander jestered.
“Wait,†Cordelia questioned, “I thought vampires couldn’t come in unless you invited them in.â€
“Yes, but if you invite them in once, thereafter, they are always welcome.†Giles answered.
“Ya know, I think there may be a valuable lesson for you gals here about inviting strange men into your bedrooms…†Xander joked.
“Oh, my god!†shrieked Cordelia, as she suddenly realised, “I invited him into my car once! That means he could come back into my car whenever he wants!â€
“Yep. Now you're doomed to having to give him and his vamp pals a lift whenever they feel like it. And those guys never chip in for gas,†Xander laughed.
“Giles, there has to be some spell to reverse the invitation, right?†Buffy asked, “I mean, a barrier, a "no shoes, no pulse, no service" kind of thing?â€
“That also works for cars?†Cordelia chipped in.
“Well,†Giles started, “I could certainly check my…â€
Suddenly, two students stepped into the library. The gang stared at them and the two students stared back nervously.
“Hel-lo… excuse me, but have you ever heard of knocking?†Xander asked.
“We're supposed to get some books,†the student stated, “on Stalin, for a report.â€
“Does this look like a Barnes and Noble?†Xander questioned.
“Xander!†Giles interrupted, “This is the school library.â€
“Since when?†Xander innocently asked.
Giles, speaking to the student, said, “Yes, third row, historical biographyâ€
“Okay…†the student replied, “uh, thanks.â€
The students walked into the stacks. Buffy, Giles, Cordelia and Xander looked at one another, frustrated and silent.
“So…about-ay ee-thay ampire-vay…†Xander began, trying to disguise what he was trying to say, but from the others’ looks, he said, “Allway-hay?â€
Giles nodded and the gang left the library. The students then came back out of the stacks.
“Uh, did you say that was…†one student began, before looking around the room. Nobody was there, “Hello?â€
Xander, Buffy, Cordelia and Giles walked the school’s empty hallway.
Giles began again, “So, apparently Angel has decided to step up his harassment of you.â€
“By sneaking into her room at night and leaving stuff? Why not just slash her throat, or strangle her in her sleep, or cut her heart…?†Cordelia started, but, due to everyone’s looks, she finished, “What? I’m trying to help!â€
“It’s classic battle strategy,†Giles explained, “to throw one’s opponent off his game. He’s trying to provoke you. To taunt you… goad you into a misstep of some sort.â€
“The ‘nyah, nyah, nyah nyah’ approach to battle,†Xander simplified.
“Yes, Xander, once again you’ve managed to boil a complex thought down to its simplest possible form†Giles poked.
Buffy, who was seriously concerned about Angel’s plans said, “Giles, Angel once told me, when he was obsessed with Drusilla, one of the first things he did was to kill her family…â€
“Your mom…†Xander realised.
Buffy nodded in agreement “I’m going to have to tell her… something. The truth.â€
“No!†Giles panicked, “You can’t do that!â€
“Yeah. The more people who know the secret, the more it cheapens it for the rest of us,†Xander smiled. “But, I have to do something.†Buffy explained, “Angel has an all access pass to my house and I'm not always there when my mom is. I can't protect her.â€
“I told you, I'll look for a spell…†Giles promised.
“What about until you find a spell?†Buffy asked.
“Until then, you and your mom are welcome to ride around with me in my car,†Cordelia offered sarcastically, “You can protect her there.â€
“Buffy, I understand your concern, but it is imperative you remain level-headed in this,†Giles explained. “Easy for you to say,†Buffy returned back, “You don't have Angel lurking in your bedroom at night.â€
“I know how hard this is for you. But as the Slayer, you do not have the luxury of being slave to your passions. You mustn't let Angel get to you, regardless of how provocative his behaviour may become,†Giles mentored.
“There you go. You Zen, you win†Xander jestered.
“Great, so basically, what you're saying is, ‘Just ignore him and maybe he'll go away,’†Buffy simplified. “Precisely†Giles answered.
“Hey, how come Buffy doesn't get a snotty ‘once again you boil it down to its simplest form’ thing?†Xander moodily threw back, “Watcher's pet!â€
In Jenny Calendar’s Classroom, Willow sat at the front of the class.
“Don't forget I need your sample spreadsheets by the end of the week,†Jenny instructed. The bell rang, and Jenny then called after them, “And I want both a paper print-out and a copy on disk!â€
She then turned to Willow, “Willow…â€
“Yes?†Willow asked.
“I may be a little late coming in tomorrow. Do you think you could take over my class until I show?†Jenny asked.
Willow, elated by Jenny’s offer, replies, “Really? Me? Teach the class? Sure!†Then she realises, “Oh, wait… but what if they don't recognize my authority? What if they try to convince me that you always em leave class early? What if there's a fire drill? What if there's a fire?â€
“Willow… Willow, you'll be fine. I'll try not to be too late, okay†Jenny reassured, attempting to calm Willow down.
“Okay… good. Earlier is good,†Willow began, then she smiled, “Will I have the power to assign detention? Or make 'em run laps?â€
Buffy stood at the doorway to the classroom, “Willow…â€
Willow and Jenny turned to see Giles and Buffy standing at the doorway to the hall. Buffy and Jenny's eyes met. There was still tension in the air. “Hello, Rupert… Buffy†Jenny greeted.
Author: Mr.Pointy
Editor: Serena
Angel:
“Passion…it is born…and though uninvited, unwelcome, unwanted, it takes root... like a cancer… it festers, it bleeds, it scabs…only to rupture, and bleed anew. It grows… it thrives…until it consumes. It lives…so, it must die…in timeâ€
***
Buffy, Xander, Willow and Cordelia were at The Bronze. It was dark. The Bronze, as it is the only hip place in town, was teeming with young people. Buffy dances with Xander, while Willow and Cordelia chat at the table.
Suddenly, Angel appears at the doorway. He stares an unblinking, unsettling stare at Buffy as she dances.
Later that night, Buffy and Co leave the Bronze. There is a couple in the corner necking. The couple’s passion hides their faces. As the gang past, the female slides to the floor. In his morph face, Angel smiles. He watches Buffy walk away. As she does, he morphs back to his ‘Angel’ face.
Buffy closes her window, and locks it. She removes the dress she wore at the Bronze, then changes into her nightdress. She slips under the sheets and reaches over and turns off the lamp. She doesn’t notice Angel silhouetted by the moonlight.
Later that night, Buffy sleeps. There is no sign of Angel… Then, Angel, emerging from the shadows, lifts a strand of hair off of Buffy’s face. He sits on her bed.
A security blanket of sunshine lights the room as Buffy wakes. Buffy rolls onto her side, coming face to face with an envelope made of parchment paper. The envelope is propped against the side of her pillow at eye level. She sits up, her heart racing. She picks up the envelope, and removes a sheet of parchment paper. It unfolds to reveal a charcoal sketch. The drawing is a skilled, accurate and lovingly rendered picture of Buffy sleeping, her head on her pillow.
The gang were situated in the library.
“He was in my room,†Buffy told Giles as the rest of the Scooby gang sat at the table. Buffy walked across the room, towards the table, plopping her bag on it.
“Who?†Giles asked.
“Angel. He was in my room last night,†Buffy explained.
Giles, obviously concerned, asked, “You’re sure?â€
“Positive.†Buffy replied, “When I woke up, I found a picture he’d left by my pillow.â€
“A visit from the pointed-tooth fairy,†Xander jestered.
“Wait,†Cordelia questioned, “I thought vampires couldn’t come in unless you invited them in.â€
“Yes, but if you invite them in once, thereafter, they are always welcome.†Giles answered.
“Ya know, I think there may be a valuable lesson for you gals here about inviting strange men into your bedrooms…†Xander joked.
“Oh, my god!†shrieked Cordelia, as she suddenly realised, “I invited him into my car once! That means he could come back into my car whenever he wants!â€
“Yep. Now you're doomed to having to give him and his vamp pals a lift whenever they feel like it. And those guys never chip in for gas,†Xander laughed.
“Giles, there has to be some spell to reverse the invitation, right?†Buffy asked, “I mean, a barrier, a "no shoes, no pulse, no service" kind of thing?â€
“That also works for cars?†Cordelia chipped in.
“Well,†Giles started, “I could certainly check my…â€
Suddenly, two students stepped into the library. The gang stared at them and the two students stared back nervously.
“Hel-lo… excuse me, but have you ever heard of knocking?†Xander asked.
“We're supposed to get some books,†the student stated, “on Stalin, for a report.â€
“Does this look like a Barnes and Noble?†Xander questioned.
“Xander!†Giles interrupted, “This is the school library.â€
“Since when?†Xander innocently asked.
Giles, speaking to the student, said, “Yes, third row, historical biographyâ€
“Okay…†the student replied, “uh, thanks.â€
The students walked into the stacks. Buffy, Giles, Cordelia and Xander looked at one another, frustrated and silent.
“So…about-ay ee-thay ampire-vay…†Xander began, trying to disguise what he was trying to say, but from the others’ looks, he said, “Allway-hay?â€
Giles nodded and the gang left the library. The students then came back out of the stacks.
“Uh, did you say that was…†one student began, before looking around the room. Nobody was there, “Hello?â€
Xander, Buffy, Cordelia and Giles walked the school’s empty hallway.
Giles began again, “So, apparently Angel has decided to step up his harassment of you.â€
“By sneaking into her room at night and leaving stuff? Why not just slash her throat, or strangle her in her sleep, or cut her heart…?†Cordelia started, but, due to everyone’s looks, she finished, “What? I’m trying to help!â€
“It’s classic battle strategy,†Giles explained, “to throw one’s opponent off his game. He’s trying to provoke you. To taunt you… goad you into a misstep of some sort.â€
“The ‘nyah, nyah, nyah nyah’ approach to battle,†Xander simplified.
“Yes, Xander, once again you’ve managed to boil a complex thought down to its simplest possible form†Giles poked.
Buffy, who was seriously concerned about Angel’s plans said, “Giles, Angel once told me, when he was obsessed with Drusilla, one of the first things he did was to kill her family…â€
“Your mom…†Xander realised.
Buffy nodded in agreement “I’m going to have to tell her… something. The truth.â€
“No!†Giles panicked, “You can’t do that!â€
“Yeah. The more people who know the secret, the more it cheapens it for the rest of us,†Xander smiled. “But, I have to do something.†Buffy explained, “Angel has an all access pass to my house and I'm not always there when my mom is. I can't protect her.â€
“I told you, I'll look for a spell…†Giles promised.
“What about until you find a spell?†Buffy asked.
“Until then, you and your mom are welcome to ride around with me in my car,†Cordelia offered sarcastically, “You can protect her there.â€
“Buffy, I understand your concern, but it is imperative you remain level-headed in this,†Giles explained. “Easy for you to say,†Buffy returned back, “You don't have Angel lurking in your bedroom at night.â€
“I know how hard this is for you. But as the Slayer, you do not have the luxury of being slave to your passions. You mustn't let Angel get to you, regardless of how provocative his behaviour may become,†Giles mentored.
“There you go. You Zen, you win†Xander jestered.
“Great, so basically, what you're saying is, ‘Just ignore him and maybe he'll go away,’†Buffy simplified. “Precisely†Giles answered.
“Hey, how come Buffy doesn't get a snotty ‘once again you boil it down to its simplest form’ thing?†Xander moodily threw back, “Watcher's pet!â€
In Jenny Calendar’s Classroom, Willow sat at the front of the class.
“Don't forget I need your sample spreadsheets by the end of the week,†Jenny instructed. The bell rang, and Jenny then called after them, “And I want both a paper print-out and a copy on disk!â€
She then turned to Willow, “Willow…â€
“Yes?†Willow asked.
“I may be a little late coming in tomorrow. Do you think you could take over my class until I show?†Jenny asked.
Willow, elated by Jenny’s offer, replies, “Really? Me? Teach the class? Sure!†Then she realises, “Oh, wait… but what if they don't recognize my authority? What if they try to convince me that you always em leave class early? What if there's a fire drill? What if there's a fire?â€
“Willow… Willow, you'll be fine. I'll try not to be too late, okay†Jenny reassured, attempting to calm Willow down.
“Okay… good. Earlier is good,†Willow began, then she smiled, “Will I have the power to assign detention? Or make 'em run laps?â€
Buffy stood at the doorway to the classroom, “Willow…â€
Willow and Jenny turned to see Giles and Buffy standing at the doorway to the hall. Buffy and Jenny's eyes met. There was still tension in the air. “Hello, Rupert… Buffy†Jenny greeted.
