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Chapter 1: Baby, You Can Drive My Car It had been six months since Willow and Tara had bound Angels soul. The office had been blown up by Wolfram and Hart and Gunn had joined the AI team. Buffy was quite surprised about that since Gunn hated vampires with passion. Buffy hadn't moved away from Sunnydale but she did spend most of her time in LA.
"Let me guess, one of those wannabe actress', let me tell you sugar, your career will be a short one", said a male vampire and she just rolled her eyes. "Yours too", she answered and pulled out a stake. That surprised the vampire, he had been expecting a helpless girl not someone who was armed with a wooden stake. She dumped her bag to the ground and kicked the vampire. He fell to the ground but immediately jumped up with his game face on. "You're going to die, little girl", he growled and attacked her. She ducked his hit and kicked him to the ground again. She rolled her eyes and sighed: "Like I haven't heard that before. Can't you people come up with new lines. Oh right, you're not people." The vampire attacked her again but she fought him off easily. "Would you stop playing with him?" she heard Angel's voice from behind her. She smirked and shrugged. "Okay", she said like it was nothing and staked the vampire that didn't even have time to react. Once the dust was floating in the air, she turned around and glared at Angel. "You're late", she stated flatly and picked up her bag from the ground. "I know. I'm sorry. But Gunn and I had this demon situation. It was harassing little children and..." he started to defend himself but Buffy smiled and interrupted him: "Fine, you're forgiven. Did you guys get it?" "Yeah. We got it", he answered and took the bag from her. He threw it into the back of his convertible and opened the front door for her. "Always the gentleman", she smiled while sitting down. Angel started the car and began driving. After they had been driving for some time in comfortable silence, he glanced at her from the corner of his eyes. "What is it?" He sighed and decided to just go for it. "I don't like you traveling on the bus." Buffy turned to look at him and asked clearly confused: "Why? I've been doing it for over six months." "I know that but it's not safe. You have a drivers license, maybe I could get you a car or something."
"Yeah, I have a drivers license but you know cars and Buffy is a bad combination. What is this really about?"
"Yeah but there's still that Buffy on wheels hazard", she protested and he just let out a small chuckle.
"How about we go to the countryside to practice driving, I'll teach you", he suggested.
"You'd let me drive your Angel mobile", she smirked and ran her fingers along the interior. His face grumbled a little and she let out a giggle, his face really was a sight to see.
"Maybe later. First we'll just borrow one", he compromised.
She leaned closer to him and whispered to his ear: "So this isn't just a trick to get me to a abandoned road under the stars all by my lonesome?" She gave a gentle lick to his earlobe and fell back to the seat giggling.
He looked at her like she was the most evil thing on earth and said: "Maybe that too."
"Where is everyone?" she asked and turned to him. He grinned and pulled her into his arms making her drop the bag to the ground. She let out small shriek when he lifted her off the ground and carried her up the stairs with long strides. They didn't manage to get to their bedroom when he pressed her against the hallway wall.
"They know better to stay away when we haven't seen each other in a week", he said to her ear and started kissing her passionately. Her arms wound around his neck and her other hand rose to his head threading her fingers in his hair. His lips abandoned hers and started to drift down her neck paying extra attention to the mark on her neck.
He kissed his way to her neckline but it wasn't enough skin. Hurriedly he pulled her shirt off leaving her only in her black lace bra that made his mouth water. He threw the shirt to the ground and started shedding kisses to her cleavage before sucking her nipples through the fabric. Buffy moaned at the sensation but after a while pulled his face up and claimed his lips hungrily.
He pulled off the wall and quickly strode to their bedroom door, kicking it open and quickly landing on the bed with Buffy in his arms. She let out a soft giggle but soon it was silenced by his lips.
xxx
"How long have they been stuck there? Doesn't he get that she needs air", she huffed crossing her arms in front of her.
Wesley lifted his head up from the book and quickly glanced at the clock. "If I recall correctly, the bus arrived at 8:25 yesterday evening and they haven't been seen since he came down to get her breakfast at nine this morning."
Cordelia glanced at the clock and rolled her eyes. "It's nearly twelve! Okay, that's it, I'm breaking it up, I have things to do!" she said and stomped up the stairs but her confidence started to fade as soon as she saw the room door. Quietly she sneaked to the door and listened carefully for any noises. She knocked on the door and again listened for any sounds that would warn her off. Since there was none, she stepped inside the door, covering her eyes and turning around.
"Are you people descent?" she asked.
"Yeah. You can turn around", Buffy answered frowning, few more minutes and they wouldn't have been. Angel quickly grabbed a magazine and placed it on his lap trying to cover the obvious tent in his pants, he was painfully hard and it showed.
Cordelia turned around, her long hair swinging with the movement. "So now that you two have worked off all that extra energy and been doing it like bunnies nearly 12 hours, I'm going to steal Buffy away with me. I found this great store and she so needs clothes and so do I since you people always bring the messy demons here."
"I don't need new clothes", Buffy protested and she couldn't believe she was turning down a shopping trip but spending time with Angel seemed more pleasurable.
"If you don't soon get out of this room, you'll be just as pale as he is", Cordelia threatened seeing the look in Buffy's eyes.
"Okay, okay, I'm coming, just give me a minute", Buffy sighed and dragged herself to the bathroom, turning the water running. She just wished Angel could join her, but she also knew that then she wouldn't manage to leave for the shopping trip with Cordy. With a sigh she tested the water and stepped under the spray.
xxx
"Yes, well I spend almost half of my months salary on clothes, I really shouldn't go shopping with you", Buffy answered but smiled despite herself.
"Yeah, but you looked great in those clothes, it was so worth it", Cordelia said and Buffy's eyes widened, she could never get used to Cordelia being nice to her, in high school she had alway complained about her looks and today she had been telling how great she looked in some of the clothes, okay she did have some tactless comments on some but still.
Cordelia lifted a perfectly plucked eyebrow and shrug her shoulders. "What? You did look great on that blouse. I was giving you a compliment and you look at me like I grew a third eye, I've given compliments before", she said and this time it was Buffy who lifted a eyebrow.
"When?" she asked with a small smile playing on her lips and humor in her voice.
"When it's deserved", Cordelia answered and started digging through her shopping bags. She pulled out a black halter dress and dangled it in front of her.
"So what you think, is this good enough for my date? Do you think Tom will loose it once he sees me in this?" she asked with a small mischievous twinkle in her eyes.
"Do you want him to loose it?" Buffy asked raising her eyebrow.
Cordelia sighed deeply and put the dress back to the bag. "I don't know yet, he seems nice but given my track record, you never know."
"Well for the first date, put something nice but safe, if the date is good, wear the knock out dress for the next", Buffy suggested and a wide smile rose to Cordelia's face.
"Yeah, I'll put the lavender dress with the thin straps, I've been dying to wear it." But her smile wavered and she looked at the ceiling with a firm look on her face. "There better not be any skull crushing visions tonight, it�s my night off, you hear me?!" she said to the air with a voice that left no room for discussion.
Angel walked down the stairs and looked at the two women in question, he had just managed to hear Cordelia's threat to the PTB. "You're back", he stated and made his way to Buffy, pulling her into a long kiss.
"Oh please! We've been gone for couple hours!" Cordelia said rolling her eyes as the couple was obvious to the world surrounding them. "Okay people, time to separate. I mean it, before I pick up the hose", Cordelia threatened but it didn't seem to make any affect on the couple.
After they broke apart, Buffy smiled brightly at the man in front of her. "I take it you missed me."
"Yeah. How about we practise driving tonight?"
"You gonna let me drive your car?" Buffy asked raising her brows in amusement.
"You gonna let her drive your car!?" yelped Gunn who had just stepped into the room with Wesley.
"You're kidding, she's worse driver than I am", Cordelia added and everyone turned to look at her in question. "What?! Well at least equally bad", she added trying to look innocent.
"At least I don't drive through school buildings", Buffy smirked playfully at her.
"Yeah, you just burn them. Or blow them up", Cordelia answered in same tone.
"Besides, I haven't had the time to practise on driving, I've got the licence but it doesn't do any good, I don't have a car and chasing vampires with a car really is ridiculous and Sunnydale is so small that I can walk where I want to", Buffy justified her lack of a car.
"But you're spending a lot of time here and it's not safe."
"She's the slayer, it's not like she can't take care of herself. And if she gets to drive you car, can I too?" Gunn asked.
"No!" Angel shot back as soon as he asked. "And I know Buffy can take care of herself but it would make me feel better if she didn't have to use the bus and relay on us to provide the ride home", Angel explained and Buffy smiled as she heard him call the hotel her home.
"But you're letting her drive your car, man. You don't let anyone drive it", Gunn said clearly not getting over the fact.
Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Well, you're not the one he's cooked up with in his room nearly 24 hours. And I need to get ready for my date, bye", she said and picked up the bags before heading for the door.
"Have a great time", Buffy yelled after her and she just waved her hand absently in return.
"Cordy has a date?" Wesley asked confused.
"Yeah, with a guy she met in a audition", Buffy answered and turned back to Angel. "So you�re really letting me drive your Angel mobile?" she asked with a smile tucking her lips.
"Some sacrifices need to be made", he said back with a lopsided grin. They fell back into their own little world and soon the two men in the room, realised that they wouldn't be noticed so they went on their own ways, Gunn shaking his head at the couple.
xxx
"I definitely like you better as a driving instructor than the last one", she said smirking, still trying to steady her breathing.
"Well I'm glad you enjoyed it", he answered with a small lopsided smirk playing on his lips also.
"Oh, I didn't seem to be the only one enjoying it. But if the last one would have tried some of the moves you did, I would have kicked his ass."
"That's good to know." That earned him a playful slap in the arm.
"I hate to say this but maybe we should start going back, we still have time for some patrolling", she said with a sigh.
"You want to drive back?"
A smile rose to her lips but she shook her head. "We'll leave that for the next driving lesson", she said and leaned in to kiss him. As soon as the kiss ended, he started the car and headed back to the city.
"You're really not that bad driver when you concentrate", he stated, keeping his eyes on the road.
"Thanks. But I still think my legs are more practical."
"Next we need to find you a car", he said thoughtfully.
"Yeah, but we need find cheap enough, my budget is a little tight on the matter", Buffy answered and changed her position on the seat to more comfortable one.
"I'll pay for it", Angel said and Buffy whipped her head to the side to look at him.
"No you're not. If I'm going to get a car, I'm going to pay for it", she said sternly but that didn't stop Angel.
"Buffy, I've got the money, I can buy the car."
"You're sweet, and I know you mean well but I need to buy it on my own, I'm really getting a hang of this independence thing and no offence but I don't need you to always take care of me. I love you and I love that you are willing to do this to me but I want to buy it on my own", she explained and he didn't look too happy but nodded in understanding.
"I understand", he said with a expression that dangerously looked like a pout. Buffy looked at him and gave a small giggle, reaching her hand out and playing with the short hair on the back of his neck.
"You're cute when you pout, you should do it more often", she said playfully.
"I do not pout", he protested and earned another giggle from her.
"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I'll let you do the dirty work on the car for me, like changing oils and tires", she said with a smile and earned a small lopsided grin from him.
"Very generous of you."
"Don't you think", she smiled back and gave a quick kiss to the side of his mouth before settling back to her seat, letting him drive without distractions.
xxx
Ten minutes later Angel appeared from the shower, wearing only a towel loosely hanging on his hips. She walked to his, pressing a quick kiss to his lips and messing his wet hair. "You got all the goo out", she stated.
"I've had worse", he answered and pulled her against his side wetting her clothes in the process.
"You got me all wet", she said and blushed as she realized what it sounded like. "I need to put the clothes away before bed. I got you something too, it's in the bag", she continued pulling a step away from him. He looked at her suspiciously and went to the bed, looking into one of the bags. A smirk rose to his lips and he turned to look at her, lifting a piece of clothing from the bag.
"I don't think it will fit", he said cheekily and showed a red lace babydoll.
"Funny. That's for you too but I would prefer that you wear the shirt in the other bag and let me wear that."
"I think I like that arrangement", he answered with a smile and turned to peek into the other bag. He placed the babydoll to the bed and pulled a shirt out of the bag, it was dark maroon, dress shirt and it felt like good quality fabric in his fingers.
"You shouldn't have", he protested but she shook her head and crossed the distance between them.
"I wanted to. And besides, it's not like you can do a lot of shopping yourself. I chose the red since you like the creature of the night-look, lighter color might have been too much of a culture shock at once", she smirked. Angel leaned down and kissed her, it was a long, sweet kiss. He pulled back with a mischievous gleam in his eyes.
"What else have you got in those bags?" he asked and glanced at the abandoned babydoll on the bed.
"If you're lucky, I'll model them for you", she answered with a seductive smile playing on her lips and he pulled her into another kiss.
xxx
"How was your date?" she asked.
"I think I get to wear the black halter", Cordelia answered smiling widely but the smile disappeared and she yelped in pain, clutching her head in her hands before she started to crumble to the ground. Buffy went quickly to her, preventing her from falling to the ground and keeping her on her feet. She guided Cordelia to sit on the chair and went to the door.
"Hey guys! Bat signal!" she yelled from the door before hurrying back to Cordelia. Cordelia gave her a annoyed look but for once didn't say anything.
"What did you see?" Buffy asked with a slight concern on her voice.
"A really ugly demon, some kind of a warehouse and a dark haired girl chained into a wall."
The others rushed into the room, all of them looking concerned for the seer. Cordelia gave the description of the demon and the warehouse to the others and they started researching the books, even Buffy opened a book much to her own protest.
xxx
Buffy lifted her face from the book and looked at the others gathered around the table. "You wouldn't happen to have a good snitch around, someone like Willy? This would be a little quicker", she said but Angel just shook his head.
"Sorry. We could go to Caritas but I doubt it would help", he answered with a small smile.
"Caritas?"
"It's a demon bar, violence-free zone, the host reads auras and destinies but you�d have to sing."
"I think I've been there. Bunch of demons doing bad karaoke and the red horned host wearing bright suits that put the neon signs in Vegas in shame?" she questioned raising a eyebrow and he chuckled.
"That's probably it."
Cordelia sighed in boredom and stood up going to the television set. She pushed power but the program had just gone to commercial brake, she was about to shut it down again when something caught her attention. "That's her!" she yelled drawing everyones attention. She pointed at the tv where a commercial was playing, a young dark haired girl smiled from the tv screen.
"That's the girl in my vision", she repeated to the others. The commercial ended, appearing that it was about a holiday resort, not that anyone would have guessed without the name and number at the end.
"I guess we should call them and ask who's their agency, maybe we'll get lucky and get to who she is", Buffy suggested and the others agreed. Angel dialed the number on the phone since he was the only one who still remembered the phone number from the ad but it was Cordelia who spoke on the phone. She flirted shamelessly with the man on the other end and finally got the name of the agency that handled the commercial and hiring of the young actress.
Buffy headed to the agency with Cordelia while the others stayed looking for the demon. Two hours later the two women returned with a name, Claire Stewart, address and information when she was last seen.
"Claire was on a date with a tall, dark and handsome guy, the nosy neighbour gave us the score, and she didn't come home that night, I doubt anything could have gone past the woman living next to her, so I figure she was taken after or during her date", Buffy gave the score.
"But we don't know who the guy is or where they went?" Angel asked and Buffy nodded.
"Yes and no. The neighbour managed to pry the name of the restaurant but not the guys name, she just saw him by a flash from the car, it was black, new and she doesn't know what kind."
"I suppose we should see if there is any warehouses near the restaurant, it's a long shot but it appears it is all we have right now", Wesley said and closed the book he was reading. He went and picked up a map book of Los Angeles and started going through it. Buffy went to stand next to him and gave him the name of the restaurante. Five minutes later they had the map and there was three abandoned warehouses in the mile distance.
Gunn stopped shifting through the book he was holding and looked at the drawing Angel had made by Cordelia's description. "How 'bout his ugly son of a bitch?" Gunn asked and showed the book to Cordelia who grimaced at the picture.
"Yeah, that's the thing I saw", she confirmed and the others came to look at the demon.
"I don't think I can pronounce that name", Buffy said as she looked at the letters in the demons name.
"Well, Krzi... Krzim... Oh I can't either", Wesley confessed before he made anymore fool of himself. "It is also called Beauty's death, it preys on beautiful young women, sacrifices them in the name of his king and apparently eats the heart to stay young to lour more women in his trap", he continued trying to cover his lack of pronouncing the name.
"So a real charmer", Buffy said wryly and frowned. She glanced at the door, sun was just setting. Angel did the same, even though he could always feel when the sun was going down and rising back up.
"We should start checking the warehouses, hopefully she's still alive", he said and the others nodded, heading for the weapons.
xxx
"Not any luck?" Angel asked and Buffy shook his head. "No, so hopefully we get the prize behind door number three."
"You guys go through the back, we take the front", Angel said and Buffy nodded, she was still getting used to Angel giving the orders. Buffy, Cordelia and Wesley went around the building and sneaked inside with weapons at ready.
They walked into the great hall, staying at shadows, they saw Claire chained to the wall, her face and clothes were grimy, her once a beautiful dress badly torn and her whole body violently battered. They saw, what looked like a man, walk to her with a dagger in his hand. His face was hidden in the shadows of his black robe but they were sure it was their demon.
"You guys stay back, I don't want you to get hurt, try to get her free and out of here as we fight the demon", she said and raised her axe at ready. She sneaked closer to the demon and stepped out of the shadows after seeing that Angel was too approaching the demon.
"You know, I had planned this quiet evening at home with my boyfriend but you just had to come and try to sacrifice a young girl to some lame ass demon", she said and the man/demon spun around to look at her. A cold wolfish smile rose to his lips and he stalked closer to Buffy.
"I love LA, apparently here they deliver the sacrifices. You're not really my type, I'm more into young, tall brunettes but I'll make an exception", he said and tried to grap her but she easily ducked and struck him hard in the back with her elbow. The hood of his robe slid back and Cordelia gasped as she saw his face.
"Tom!" she yelped in surprise.
"This is Tom?" Buffy asked raising her eyebrows and struck Tom again but once in the ground he spun around and kicked Buffy into her chin. She staggered back and Angel viciously attacked Tom, his face morphed into his demon visage and a threatening growl deep in his chest. Tom was little taken back by the clearly raged vampire and he tried to shield himself with the dagger, trying to slice Angel but only managing to make him more angry.
"Get her out of here!" Buffy yelled to the others and went to help Angel. The others rushed to Claire, trying to yank the chains off but with no use, finally Gunn raised his axe and started to bound the chains, trying to cut them.
At the same time, Tom managed to cut a deep wound into Angel chest, he growled in anger and Buffy glanced at him with concern, soon her face changing cold with determination. She attacked Tom with fierce efficiency and with a swing of her axe cut his arm off but soon her eyes widened as she saw it grow back with a dark blue scaly skin and long nails.
"Wes! If I cut this things head off, will it grow back!?" she yelled at Wesley while dodging the long nails Tom was swinging her way.
"Yes! You need to stab him in the heart with something that is blessed for his king!" Wesley yelled back.
"The dagger", Angel stated and punched Tom hard in the face, some of his skin ripping off and revealing the same kind of skin as his arm had. Tom spun around and hit Angel hard in his chest with both hands, sending him flying across the floor. Buffy kicked him in the chest before swinging her axe and cutting off the arm that held the dagger, the arm sliding far away from them, still holding the dagger. Another scaly arm grew in its place and Tom managed to scrape four deep wounds across her chest with his long nails.
"Buffy!" Angel yelled and threw the dagger to her. She caught it easily and sank it into Toms heart, twisting it in the wound till the demon fell to the ground. Angel quickly made his way to Buffy and tenderly touched her cheek.
"You're wounded", he stated as the strong smell of blood assaulted his nostrils, he saw the deep wounds even though they weren't bleeding anymore.
"So are you. Besides, it's just a little scrape, I'll be healing in no time", she assured him with a small smile and started walking towards the others that were still trying to cut the chains.
The others turned to them, Wesley's face flushed from working on the chains. "Angel, help me yank the chains loose", Buffy said and Angel nodded. They both grabbed the chains and yanked hard, the chain snapping in half. Angel caught Claire as she started to fall to the ground and he lifted her into his arms. They started to move to the door.
"I'm sorry your date turned out to be a woman sacrificing demon", Buffy said to Cordelia as they walked.
"That's it! I'm swearing off men!" she said in agitation.
"So you've had a little bad luck with men, but it doesn't mean that you won't meet the right one, someday", she tried to comfort the brunette.
"It's easy for you to say, you found the right one when you were 16."
"And it hasn't been easy with us but it has been worth it. You are a great person, when you want to be, so you've had few set backs but that doesn't mean the good thing isn't just around the corner", Buffy tried but Cordelia didn't seem too convinced.
"Well, I hope so", she finally said and they continued to walk to the car in silence.
xxx
The dreaded Sunday came and Cordelia dragged Buffy to the beach despite her protests, she insisted that Buffy needed to work on her tan since she spend most of her time out when the sun had already set. They returned from the beach two hours later and grudgingly Buffy started to pack her bags.
Angel walked behind her and wrapped his arms around her resting his chin on her shoulder. She sighed in content and turned to look at him. "I could stay", she tried but Angel just smiled at her.
"No you can't. Tomorrow is a school day for you", he answered and pressed a soft kiss to the corner of her mouth.
"I know, I know. School and duty on the Hellmouth. I wish it was Friday", she sighed and rested her hands on top of his arms.
"Me too. Are you all packed?"
She just nodded solemnly and leaned in to zip the bag on the bed. "Unfortunately", she said and turned in his arms. She lifted her arms around his neck and pulled him into a passionate kiss. As soon as the kiss was over, he pressed a soft kiss to her cheek and pulled away, lifting the bag over his shoulder.
"We better get going", he said but didn't sound too happy about it. She nodded and they went downstairs where the others were waiting.
"I'm gonna drive Buffy to Sunnydale, I'll be back before the sunrise", Angel told the others and earned a chuckle from Gunn.
"Man, you're whipped", he said with humor in his voice and Angel cast a stern look on his way.
"Stop teasing him. Wait until you find the right girl and we'll see who's whipped", Buffy shot back with a small smile playing on her lips.
"No woman is going to tame me", Gunn boasted but Buffy just laughed.
"We'll see about that."
Cordelia stepped forward and gave Buffy a stern look. "Remember to call me. To me, not here so Angel can just grab the phone away from. I seriously need my gossip on the Sunnyhell, I really need to know if Aura is as fat as I heard she was", she said to Buffy. Aura had once been one of the cordettes back in high school, her so called friend but she was little hostile towards them, remembering how they treated her when she was with Xander.
"Okay, I'll try to dig up that vital information for you", Buffy chuckled and Cordelia seemed pleased with her answer. Buffy glanced at the door and turned back to the others.
"Okay, I'll see you guys on Friday", she said and after quick goodbyes, started towards the door with Angel. Angel threw the bag in the trunk and went around to open the door for her.
"Always the gentleman", she smiled and gave him a quick kiss. He closed the door and went around the car, sitting to the drivers seat.
"You couldn't possibly stay in Sunnydale for few days?" she suggested with a seductive smile as Angel pulled the car into the traffic. He quickly glanced at Buffy with a smile twitching on his lips.
"As tempting as it sounds, I can't. We both know it."
"Yeah. But it was worth a shot", she smiled and leaned against the seat watching the scenery passing by.
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