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Spinning Around

By: rowek

folder BtVS AU/AR › Het - Male/Female › Angel(us)/Buffy

Rating: Adult ++

Chapters: 4

Views: 4,211

Reviews: 11

Recommended: 0

Currently Reading: 0

Category: BtVS AU/AR › Het - Male/Female › Angel(us)/Buffy

Rating: Adult ++

Chapters: 4

Views: 4,211

Reviews: 11

Recommended: 0

Currently Reading: 0

Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer (BtVS), nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Spinning Around

TITLE:
Spinning Around.

AUTHOR:
Kelly Rowe

EMAIL:

angels_bath_towel@hotmail.com

RATING:
NC-17.

DISCLAIMER:
Buffy, Angel and all other characters (except those I make up) are the absolute
property of Joss Whedon, Fox, Mutant Enemy, UPN and Warner Bros (If I owned
them, do you think that they would be acting this ridiculous right now).

SUMMARY:
Buffy makes a deal that changes her entire future.

SPOILERS:
Totally AU - so none.

TIMELINE:
Present.

DISTRIBUTION:
You want you can have it; just tell me where you put it. Any lists just take it.

PAIRING:
Buffy/Angelus

CATEGORY:
AU and Romance.

WARNING:
Foul language, adult themes.

Part 1

What did one wear
on a date with the devil, or at least a creature as close to the devil as you
could ge ear earth? Buffy didn't know the answer, if she had she would've been
ready for her business dinner with *him* by now instead of rummaging through the
piles of clothes scattered around her stylish bedroom. Sighing she gave up
trying to find something that would impress and settle don something she liked
and felt confident in and began to dress.

The bright,
cheerful house that she shared with her mother and younger sister in the *good*
part of Sunnydale, had been her home for half a decade; since her parents
extremely ugly divorce. Due to her father's death in a car accident a few months
ago, unfortunately itldn\ldn't be home for very much longer. Everything that she
and her mother could've sold they had and now the creditors were simply waiting
for the Summers' girls to declare bankruptcy before sinking their teeth all the
way in. If only her father hadn't died and left them with his half of the debts,
that could not afford to be paid.

Both her and her
mother's credit cards were maxed out and her mother's small art gallery on
Sunnydale's main street was mortgaged to the hilt. In less than a week they
would have to walk away from their home, take what little the bank would allow
them too and try to make new lives for themselves, ones that would be radically
different from all they had known.

Buffy could
hardly believe that she was almost twenty-one and about to be tossed out onto
the streets. It wasn't pleasant, she'd had to drop out of college and Dawn was
now being picked on by the people she'd once called her friends. The only person
who hadn't abandoned them in their time of need was her best friend Willow, but
the loss of everyone else had caused them all added stress.

This evening's
meeting was her absolute last hope, the last chance that she had to save her
family from losing everything. Liam Angelus McKenna, known as Angelus to
everyone whew hew him, was the only person with enough cash and enough clout
with the banks to save them. Unfortunately he had absolutely no reason to help
them; she was surprised that he even agreed to the meeting. She didn't want to
deal with him, but she'd have too. If need be she'd sell herself to the devil to
save fam family. Buffy had only ever met him once that she could remember, her
freshman year at Sunnydale High. He'd been harassing a fellow classmate of her's
and she'd told him to drop dead, he was a loser and he always would be. She
hoped he didn't remember that.

In truth she was
really embarrassed about asking him for a loan, she didn't know him back then
and she didn't know him now. She sighed once more and made her way downstairs,
relived that Dawn and her mom had gone to the gallery to start packing up
things, she didn't want them to know about the meeting - it was just simpler
this way. She grabbed her jacket and headed off to meet the man who now, whether
knowingly or unknowingly, held her fate in his hands.

The restaurant
that Angelus had picked for their meeting was newly opened and Buffy had never
had a chance to eat there before disaster struck. Unfortunately it was also a
popular one and Buffy had to park blocks away from her actual destination,
consequently she was late for her meeting. That was not such a good thing when
trying to make a good impression on a man you hoped might lend you a lot of
money. She'd barely walked through the door when someone grabbed her arm.

"Buffy," he said
with an unreadable expression on his face.

{Shit. I so don't
need to piss him off} she thought. Buffy decided to schmooze a little. "I'm so
sorry I'm late. I didn't keep you waiting long, did I?"

"No."

They were shown
to their table and the waiter arrived seconds later. Although she wasn't hungry,
Buffy ordered as not to offend Angelus. After the waiter had left, they just sat
there staring at each other as they waited to see who would make the first move.

Buffy was the one
to finally break the uncomfortable silence that had descended. "I guess it's no
secret why I asked for this meeting..." she began.

"I think we
should eat before we get down to business," Angel said cutting her off.

Buffy shook her
head, "I'm not here to eat and have a good time. It's not a date. I'm only here
to talk business."

Angelus just
smirked, "It's a good thing I don't possess a fragile ego."

Before she had a
chance to reply their food started to arrive and she forced herself to begin
eating. She kept telling herself that she only had to make it through one simple
dinner and she'd have her answer, sealing her and her family's fate.

Almost an hour
later as the last of the plates were removed from the table, Buffy got straight
to business.

"Are you gonna
give me the damn loan or not?" she asked directly.

"Why should I
take such a risk? Even a *loser* would be smarter than that," he countered,
reminding her that he to remembered the encounter in High School.

"I fucking knew
that was gonna bite me in the ass," Buffy mumbled. Then she said louder, "Do you
want me to beg? Because I will if I have too."

"Maybe I should
let you... before I decide."

Buffy couldn't
believe she'd been stupid enough to even hope that he'd help. Obviously he just
wanted some twisted sort revenge for High School and wasn't at all interested in
helping her. She grabbed her bag and got up.

"Where are you
going?" he asked watching her.

"Home," she
replied, "Tonight has got to be the fucking worst idea I've ever had and I'm
leaving."

She couldn't
leave; it would ruin his brilliant plan. The one he'd spent so many hours on
since he'd first heard about her family's troubles. The one that would get him
what he'd always wanted - at least for a while.

He grabbed her
wrist and held on tight. "Sit down!" he ordered her.

"It's a waste of
what little time I have left."

He tugged on her
arm trying to force her to sit. "Sit down!"

"Let *me* go,"
she countered, stubbornly refusing to do as he asked.

Angelus shook his
head; he was just as stubborn as she was. "Not until you sit back down."

She didn't like
it or want to do it, but she sat. "What do you want from me?"

Angelus released
her, "Actually let's talk about what you need."

Buffy suddenly
had a feeling that something bad was going to happen.

"A considerable
amount of money to pay of your family's debts, to save your home and your
mother's business and of course to buy back what you had to sell. Does that
cover it?"

"I know it's a
lot of money..."

Angelus just
stared at her, "It's over a million dollars."

Buffy scrunched
up her face, "What did you do? Take an inventory?"

"Yes."

Buffy paled,
shocked by answer. "Why would you do that?"

"I felt like it."

Buffy shook her
head in disbelief, "Look Angelus. I may be a blond, but I am not stupid. Why?"

"You interest
me."

"With all of
California's female population lusting after you. I
don't see how that could be possible," she told him.

"No other woman
has ever told me I am a *loser*."

"So this is some
weird ass form of revenge for pissing you off in High School?" she asked.

Angelus just
smirked again, "No. I just find it amusing that neither of us has ever forgotten
that day." He went silent for a moment and then continued, "Do you agree that
everyone has a price?"

"Just tell me
what the fuck you want?" Buffy was growing more and more pissed off as the
minutes ticked by.

"I want a child."

Buffy looked at
him strangely, "A what?"

"I want a child,
one born in wedlock. And of course who better to help with this want than the
woman who thinks I am a loser," Angelus told her.

"You're fucking
insane," Buffy hissed at him. "If you're so anxious to play daddy, adopt or
knock up some stupid bimbo."

"No."

"Why not?"

Angelus grasped
her hand and looked into her eyes. "Because every time I picture the mother of
my child, I see you. I don't know why, maybe you pissed me off so much that day
I want to get back at you; or maybe I think you're the only one who'd actually
care about the child. It's irrelevant, it is the price for your family's future.
Take it or leave it."

"You bastard. Let
me get this straight," she said. "In order to save my mom and sister, I have to
marry *you* and have *your* child... then what, walk away?"

"Nntilntil the
child is in school."

"School?"

"Elementary," he
clarified.

Buffy really
wanted to slap the arrogant smirk right of his face, but she restrained herself
because the asshole would probably file an assault charge against her.

"That's almost
seven years of my life... if I were stupid enough to agree."

"Only if you got
pregnant right away," he informed her, "It could take longer."

"No."

"Of course your
family will be fine and you will gain the added bonus of being my wife. Allowing
your sister access to better everything, from schooling to all the social
activities she deserves," he tried to play upon her family loyalty. "Then of
course there is the fact you'll be sharing my bed."

"Forgive me if I
don't see having to have sex with you as a bonus."

"Don't knock it
until you try it," he told her laughing.

Buffy decided to
change the subject, "What happens when I have finished my part in your fucking
evil scheme?"

"You will not be
kicked out of our child's life."

"If and it's a
big if. If I do this I wouldn't and couldn't just be a weekend mom," Buffy told
him.

Angelus simply
ignored her and pulled out a piece of paper. "It's the agreement. I've already
si my my section. Read it and let me know your answer in the next twenty-four
hours."

"That's
impossible," she said. It was such a major decision and to make it in such a
shoerioeriod of time was ridiculous.

"You're not in a
position to argue."

Buffy stood up,
"I'll let you know." And then she walked out of restaurant.

Angelus sat back
with a smirk; he knew that she'd say yes to the arrangement, even if she didn't.

The next
afternoon with only a few hours left until the deadline for her decision, she
was still no closer to making one. With the hope of gaining some new
perspective, Buffy headed over to her best friend Willow's house. Tara, Willow's
life partner opened the door.

"H-hi Buffy,"
Tara stammered nervously. "I-i'm going to work. W-willow's out
back by the pool."

"Hi Tara and
thanks," Buffy told her as she passed.

It wasn't that
she didn't like
Tara or anything like that. She just didn't know her.
Tara was a new addition to Willow's life and Buffy was so used to Willow and Oz
together, but when Oz had died it seemed like so had Willow... until she met
Tara. Buffy was extremely glad her friend had found someone; it was just taking
some getting used to
Willow's
new life-style.

Buffy walked
through Willow's comfortable home, only a few short
blocks from where she lived - at least for now, and out into the backyard where
Willow was sunning herself by the enormous pool.

"Hey Wils," Buffy
called out.

Willow sat up and instantly d, &d, "What's wrong?"

"Where do I
start?"

Willow got up and walked over to her friend. "Tell me
everything," she said leading Buffy back into the house.

Half an hour and
a cup of coffee later, Buffy had told Willow everything about the night before -
including Angelus' so-called bargain. Willow was so shocked she just couldn't
say anything, instead she just sat there.

"Say something,"
Buffy almost begged.

"Wow,"
Willow managed. "What did your mom say?"

Buffy flushed
bright pink, "I can't tell her this, it'll kill her."

Willow looked at her, "Why? Because it's humiliating...
or because you're actually considering it?"

Buffy sighed and
wished Willow wasn't so insightful. "Both," she
admitted.

Willow squeezed her hand in a gesture of support, "What
are you gonna do?"

"I dunno."

"Well, the way I
see it. You're pretty much screwed either way," Willow told her. "Either you,
Dawn and Joyce lose everything, or you marry and get knocked up by Satan
himself."

"Gee Wils, when
you put it that way..."

Willow smiled and then turned serious, "You know that no
matter what you decide - I'll be here."

"Thanks," Buffy
said hugging her.

"So have you
decided?"

Buffy took a deep
breath, "Yeah. I think I have."

Part 2

Buffy returned
home from
Willow's and barely said two words to either her
mother or Dawn before she rushed upstairs to the privacy of her room. She had
just enough time to make the phone call to Angelus and knew that if she had
stopped to chat she would never make the deadline imposed upon her. She was
shaking in terror when she lifted the receiver to call him and give her
humiliating decision; there was a part of her who still couldn't believe that
she was actually going to agree to this insane arrangement. If she'd had any
other choice... but she didn't and her mother and Dawn needed her to help and by
golly she was going to save them. The worse part and the only thing she felt
guilt over was the fact that she would be involving, eventually, an innocent
child in Angelus' depraved scheme. As the phone on the other end began to ring
she waited impatiently for him to answer. When someone did pick up it wasn't
him, but his secretary.

"Mr. McKenna's
office."

Buffy swallowed
around the large, painful lump in her throat. "I'd like t-to speak to Mr.
McKenna. My name is Buffy Summers."

"Please hold."

Before she even
realised it she was speaking to the devil.

"You're late," he
said his voice typically devoid of emotion.

Buffy scowled to
herself, "Sorry if I inconvenienced you. Unfortunately I take deciding my future
kinda seriously."

"And your
decision is?"

Buffy sighed, but
did not waiver. "I agree," she whispered.

"What?"

Knowing that the
bastard had heard her and was just trying to humiliate her made it all so much
worse, but she repeated her answer. "I'll marry you."

She could almost
hear the cruel self-satisfied smile in his voice. "You need to sign the
contract. Be at Lindsey McDonald's office tomorrow at nine o'clock."

Buffy didn't even
pretend not to know who Lindsey McDonald was. He was the top attorney in the
state of California
and one of Angelus' best friend's in High School. So instead she went for her
usual flippancy, "What? I agree to give *you* a significant portion of my life
and all you say is be at my lawyer's!"

"What should I
say," Angelus replied coldness seeping into his voice. "Congratulations on
catching one of California's most eligible bachelors. We both know it was I who
caught you and somehow I don't think you want to celebrate that. Just be at
Lindsey's tomorrow." He then hung up on her without waiting for her reply.

Buffy just sat
there for a moment in shock. It was the first time she'd been subjugated to
Angelus' mean streak, even when he'd delivered his ultimatum from Hell he hadn't
been that cold and unfeeling - or at least he hadn't seemed that way. He'd just
seemed like a total asshole. She replaced the receiver and lay down on her bed
and began to seriously wonder what she'd just gotten herself into.

After he had hung
up on Buffy, Angelus sat back in his chair and contemplated his victory, small
though it was. He was now one scloscloser to complete his plan, he had finally
managed to get Buffy. Ever since he had first seen her walking down the halls of
Sunnydale High, he had wanted her. Unfortunately back then she'd been way to
young and had seemed to hate him for no reason and after he had graduated he had
lost track of her. Actually if he was truthful he had pushed her to the back of
his mind as he'd pursued more mature women. He had just been thinking about
disposing of his latest companion when he'd heard of Buffy once again. This time
it was through gossip about what her father's untimely death had done to her and
herily.ily. When he heard that he just knew that it was his big chance to get
closer to her. He was interrupted when someone barged into his office.

"Angel. I thought
we were heading home."

"I told you I had
to wait for a phone call, Kathy," he told his younger sister.

"Well, Janice
said the call came. So can we go now?"

"Sure," he said
smiling at her.

As Angelus
starting grabbing what he needed to take home Kathy looked at him. "Who was the
call from?"

"Buffy."

"Ah... the
mysterious Buffy," Kathy replied giggling. "You've been talking about her for
ages. When am I gonna get to meet her?"

"Soon."

"That's what you
always sauot;uot;

Angelus grabbed
his briefcase and put his free arm around his sister. "This time I promise."

Buffy awoke the
next morning feeling like she was going to throw up and wishing she could just
lie in bed all day. She slowly climbed out of bed and padded downstairs towards
the kitchen, putting on her cheerful face when she heard her mother and Dawn's
voices coming from there.

"Morning," she
told them as she wandered in, pretending that nothing but the usual was actually
wrong.

"Morning honey,"
Joyce replied from where she was making breakfast.

Dawn mumbled
something around her mouthful of scrambled eggs.

Buffy sat down
next to her baby sister and tried to clam down. No one suspected anything was
wrong, to them it was just another day and she was acting paranoid for no
reason.

Joyce handed
Buffy some breakfast and took a seat. "So what's everyone doing today?"

"School," Dawn
answered scowling.

"Job hunting,"
Buffy said quickly.

Sadness seemed to
overcome her mother as she said, "I'm going to start to pack up the gallery. So
later on I am going to need both of your help."

"Whatever," Dawn
said stuffing the remainder of her breakfast into her mouth. "I gotta get to
school," she said grabbing her things and rushing out.

Making sure her
sister had actually left, Buffy turned to her mom. "Are you sure you wanna pack
up today? Maybe you should wait until tomorrow?"

"Buffy," Joyce
began. "I can't just keep putting it off. It's over and the longer it goes on
the more painful it will be, for all of us."

Buffy wished she
could tell her mom that everything was going to be okay and how it would be, but
she knew that she'd stop her and she couldn't let that happen.

"If you're
sure..."

"I am," Joyce
replied hugging her.

Buffy grasped
onto her mother like it was the final part of her innocence. Eventually she had
to let go even though she really didn't want to.

"I have to be at
my interview at nine, so..." Buffy said uncomfortably. "I should go get ready
for it."an>

"Good luck,"
Joyce told her sincerely.

Buffy nodded
stiffly, "Thanks."

She rushed from
the kitchen and barely made it up to her room before she lost it and the tears
started to fall.

"Shall I tell you
how stupid I think you are?" Lindsey said to Angelus as they were sitting in his
office waiting for Buffy.

"No," Angelus
answered dryly, "You've told me that enough times since I asked you to draw uthe the contract."

"If you want a
child so badly, marry some bimbo," Lindsey told him. "It'll cost you way less
than this deal will."

Angelus shook his
head stubbornly, "It has to be her."

"Why?"

"If you had ever
seen her you wouldn't have to ask," Angelus said hoping that answer would
satisfy his friend.

"Hell Angelus,"
Lindsey replied ruefully. "Sunnydale's a small town - I know who she is. I even
asked her out once."

Angelus glared at
him, "You did?"

"She didn't go
anywhere with me. Gave me some lame excuse about dating someone," Lindsey said.
He saw the tension lehis his friend's body and had a shock realization, "Tell me
that you don't have any feelings for that girl?" Angelus couldn't meet his eyes.
"Fuck it, Angelus. You're even more stupid than I fucking thought. She's gonna
put you Hell by the time this is over."

"I won't allow
her too."

"Shit," Lindsey
said shaking his head in disbelief. "You can't control everything. When are you
gonna learn that?"

Angelus didn't
get a chance to answer, Lindsey's intercom went off and his new secretary's
sarcastic voice was heard.

"Buffy Summer's
is here."

At the last
minute Buffy decided against taking her car, she just didn't feel well enough to
drive. Instead she had Joyce drop her off a few blocks away from Lindsey's
office, as to not draw any unwanted suspicion. She walked there lost in thought
and changed her mind a dozen times, but each time she did so the image of her
mother's sad face reversed her decision.

Five minutes
later she walked into Lindsey's modern office and gave her name to the
receptionist, only afterwards did she realize who that was. Harmony Kendall,
Buffy hadn't seen her since Graduation when she and Cordelia Chase had taken off
for LA to become stars. She hadn't changed; she was even sarcastic when
announcing Buffy's arrival, probably wondering what crime Buffy had committed.

"Show her in,"
came Lindsey's familiar voice.

Harmony
reluctantly rose from her seat and forcibly dragged Buffy down a short hallway.
"There it is," she said pointing at a door.

"Gee Harm, I see
just how much your people skills have improved since High School," Buffy replied
sarcastically as she went to move past her.

"I hope that
whatever you did gets you life, Summers," Harmony answered flouncing off towards
her desk.

Buffy knocked on
the door once and entered the room, unsurprised when she saw Angelus sitting at
Lindsey's desk; she had expected him to be lurking nearby.

t;But;Buffy," Angelus
acknowledged.

"Ms. Summers,"
Lindsey said formally, "Please have a seat."

"Thank you,"
Buffy said politely as she sat down, shooting Angelus a suspicious glance.

"Have you read
the agreement?" Lindsey asked her, hoping that he wouldn't have to explain
Angelus' weird-ass agreement.

Buffy removed the
agreement from her purse and replied, "It was clear... despite the spelling
errors."

Lindsey flushed
bright red with embarrassment, "New secretary." He then turned serious once
more, "Are you *both* certain about entering into this agreement?"

"Yes," Angelus
replied immediately, no hesitation and no regret in his voice.

Buffy on the
other hand hung her head in shame. "Yes," she whispered barely audibly.

{This is
definitely one of Angelus' more stupid ideas} Lindsey thought looking at the
couple. "In that case, if Buffy would sign the document; I will witness it. Then
it will be all done."

Buffy took the
pen Lindsey offered with a shaking hand. She signed her name, all the time
thinking she was signing every bit of dignity and pride she had ever had away.

Angelus watched
her sign the document in relief, now she couldn't change her mind and destroy
all his careful planning.

She watched
Lindsey sign his name to the agreement and a feeling of dread settled into the
pit of her stomach and she began to wish she was at home so she could be alone
and cry. It was done. She now owed her life and the life of her first born child
to this man that she truly believed in the depths of her soul was the Devil. She
only hoped that things couldn't and wouldn't get any worse.

Part 3

Buffy found
herself rushing out of Lindsey's office as soon as she could. She even ran past
Harmony without making some sarcastic comment, all in an effort to get away from
Angelus. She knew she was being ridiculous, but it had finally hit her what she
had done - that she had signed herself over to a man who did care about her, a
man who simply wished to use her for an incubator for his seed. So she'd had to
get out of there, away from him, at least for now.

When she finally
reached the street outside she forced herself to slow down and tried to calm
herself, to get rid of the blinding panic that had momentarily overwhelmed her.
She stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and debated whether to head to her
mother's gallery and deal with her mother's probing questions or to head home
and deal only with an empty house. Buffy hadn't had a chance to decide when she
found herself spun around and facing the one man she could happily never see
again, but had to do so.

"We have things
to discuss," Angelus said authoritatively.

"So?" Buffy
answered feeling the need to be as perverse as possible.

"So... be at my
office at three to discuss them," he ordered walking away.

Buffy stood there
in shock for a few minutes, unable or unwilling to believe that the arrogant
shithead had actually had the nerve to order her to do something already and
they weren't emarrmarried yet. Deciding that after the run in with her *future*
husband that she wasn't in any condition to answer her mother's questions, she
headed home. All the time hoping that the peace and quiet of an empty house
would help her get her wits back, before the afternoon when she faced the devil
once again.

After an
extingting fifteen minute walk home, Buffy really wished she taken her car to
Lindsey's office instead of allowing her mother to drop her off that morning.
She had done it to save on petrol money, but now she couldn't help but berate
herself for it. Now she had signed her very soul away, it didn't look as though
she was going to have to economize any time soon. Also her feet were killing her
because of her stupid idea about wng eng extremely high heels, so Angelus
wouldn't tower over her as much. On the positive side, at least the walk had
given her time to cool down and start to think logically once again, if she
hadn't been able to do so she would be at a distinct disadvantage when she met
with *him* later on.

As she unlocked
the door to her home and stepped over the threshold she heard a loud noise
coming from upstairs, a noise that sounded suspiciously like crying. She slowly
climbed the stairs and walked softly down the hallway until she was outside of
Dawn's room. Buffy being Buffy just barged straight in and saw her baby sister
lying on her bed crying, instead of being at school.

"Dawnie?"

Dawn didn't even
look up, she just said, "Go away."

Buffy ignored her
and walked over to the bed, "What's wrong?"

Dawn didn't say
anything; she simply lifted her face from her pillow and looked at Buffy. Dawn's
left eye was swelling up and a bruise starting to form; together they promised
to be one hell of a black-eye.

"Who did it?"
Buffy demanded, upset that her sister had been hit by someone.

Dawn was silent
for a moment before sighing and then saying, "Sam and Missy. Some great taste in
friends I have, huh?"

Buffy sat down
and hugged her younger sister to her, not saying a single word. Dawn lay her
head on Buffy's shoulder and used her sister's comfort to finish out her crying
until eventually there was silence.

A little while
later Dawn spoke, "Do we have to tell mom about this?"

"Somehow I don't
think we're gonna be able to hide this from her," Buffy replied as she examined
Dawn's eye more closely.

"I hate being
poor," Dawn sighed wistfully, obviously remembering a time when they were
anything but.

"Don't worry.
Everything will okay," Buffy whispered to her.

that," Dawn answered.

"Maybe I'm
psychic."

"More like you're
full of shi-" Dawn started to say.

Buffy cut her
off, "Dawnie!"

They both started
giggling and then Dawn said, "Maybe you're right. As long as you, me and mom
stick together... then we'll be okay."

"Yeah," Buffy
replied somewhat sadly.

Dawn didn't
notice and Buffy was glad, she didn't want to lie to her baby sister and her mom
any more than she had to. She couldn't wait for this all to be over, but she
knew that it would be a long time coming. For now though she just sat there with
her sister and pretended that nothing had changed.

Just before her
meeting with Angelus, Buffy dropped Dawn off at the gallery. Dawn was going to
tell their mom what had happened and some other things that she hadn't really
wanted to talk about but needed too. Buffy wished that she could be there for
her sister, but she knew that she had to keep to the agreement and dealing with
Angelus now and after they were married was an important part of it all.

Ten minutes later
she pulled up in fron a l a l bui building, just outside of Sunnydale, that was
the headquarters for Angelus' corporate operations. Taking a deep, in part to
calm herself and in part to give her courage, she walked towards the building's
main entrance and went inside.

The interior of
building was just how she had imagined it, cold. Not in temperature or any thing
like that, but in atmosphere, just like a corporation should be and exactly like
the man who ran it. She moved towards the security desk, where two burly
security guards were posted and a pleasant looking older woman carried on about
her reception duties.

"Buffy Summers to
see Mr. McKenna," she told them, hoping that she had concealed her nervousness
about being in the enemy's camp.

"Just let me ring
through," the woman told her picking up the phone. Less than a minute later the
woman turned back to Buffy, "Take the elevator to the penthouse. That's where
Mr. McKenna's office is."

"Thanks," Buffy
replied as she walked towards the bank of elevators. She pressed the button for
up and waited for one to arrive, growing more nervous and more anxious as the
seconds ticked by. When an elevator finally arrived her feelings intensified
instead of lessening, because she was getting closer to *him* and to whatever he
wanted from her. As the doors closed she got the distinct feeling that the next
minutes were not going to be pleasant.

The second that
the doors finally opened, Buffy was shocked to find that Angelus' office wasn't
just up on that floor - it was the floor. His desk was in the middle of the room
and surrounding it, but hidden by glass bricks, was gym equipment, different
types of leisure activities and to her horror there was even a bed. And much to
her own personal embarrassment she began to hope the bed was merely for sleeping
in when he worked late and not for his *business* meetings.

He looked up and
as though he read her mind he said, "This is my private office. All of my
business dealings are conducted downstairs."

Buffy wasn't
exactly sure what to say, so she went with the obvious, "It's impressive."

As if suddenly
remembering that he did in fact have manners, he offered her a seat, which she
gratefully accepted. Sitting across from him she suddenly couldn't think of a
thing to say, sarcastic or otherwise. she she did know was that sitting there in
total silence with him staring at her was driving her nuts.

"So... you wanted
to talk to me..." Buffy said then cringed as she realised just how silly it
sounded.

"Yes," he replied
as stone faced as ever. "There are several details that need to be worked out.
The actual ceremony and what to tell everyone for a start."

"Everyone?"

"The general
public, my share holders and of course our respective families," Angelus
informed her. At the look of surprise on her face he continued, "Did you think I
appeared out of thin air? I do have a family."

"I..." Buffy
immediately began to feel guilty. This man that sat before her was the cause of
her degradation, of her losing most of her own self-respect and now he dared to
make her feel something for him, even if it was only guilt. Sure she'd pretty
much figured that he was the son of Satan or some sort of cold-blooded monster.
The truth was she'd never given much thought to where he came from, or if there
was already more than one of him.

"Well," Angelus
finally said, exasperated by her silence. "What shall we tell the world? Shall
we say that I bought you, or maybe we should say that it is a marriage and not a
form of legalized prostitution."

"You fucking
bastard," Buffy yelled finally losing her temper with him. "I can't believe that
I almfeltfelt sorry about some of the things I'd thought about you. You know
what I wasn't even thinking evil enough - you aren't the spawn of Satan, you're
the fucking devil himself."

"You should never
underestimate a person," Angelus told her dryly. Then he continued on as if
nothing had happened, "I think we should have the wedding next week at my
mansion - it would be the best time for me."

"Next week?"
Buffy squeaked out in a mixture of terror, anger and panic. "How am I supposed
to explain it to *my* family? Shall I say, oh by the way next week I'm marrying
Satan?&q

"I'd suggest
telling them that we'd been seeing each other secretly. It does sound so much
more plausible," he told her.

Buffy looked at
him as though he was crazy. "You\got got to be kidding? If I tell my mom that
I've been dating some guy in secret and we have to get married next week, she'll
jump to two conclusions."

"And they are?"

"That I'm ashamed
of you and that I'm obviously pregnant," Buffy said with a look of disgust.

Angelus smirked,
"Part of our agreement pertained to pregnancy. Do you really find it so
distasteful?"

"No," Buffy
sighed, wondering why he always felt the need to twist her words around. "I have
nothing against it. I've always wanted children. I just don't want my mom to
think I'm some sort of giant slut."

"You're an adult.
Why do you care what she thinks?"

"She's my mom,"
was all she said. "Don't you care what yours thinks?"

"My mother is
dead."

"Oh."

"And even when
she was alive, she cared more about drinking than she did about me or Kathy," he
told her.

"Kathy?" Buffy
asked curiously.

"My sister,"
Angelus informed her. "I have cus custody of her."

"Your dad let you
have her?"

Angelus stared at
her, his eyes meeting hers. "Let had nothing to do with it. He's in jail and
even if he wasn't I would not have allowed him to keep her."

Sensing that the
subject was now closed, Buffy changed topics. "So what are you going to tell her
about this?"

Angelus knew that
he wouldn't have to explain his decision to marry Buffy to Kathy, she'd pretty
much suspected it for a while.

"Never mind what
I tell my sister," Angelus told her.

"Then never mind
what I tell my mom. It is after all *my* business."

Buffy simply
stared at the man across from her, trying to figure out if that was a promise or
a threat.

Part 4

At dinner that
night Buffy was so quiet that both Joyce and Dawn began to get worried about
her. Towards the end of the meal Joyce finally couldn't stand the silence and
spoke.

"Buffy. What's
wrong?"

"Nothing," Buffy
mumbled in reply. Although it was clear to all something was up with her, she
was pushing all her food around her plate instead of wolfing down as per usual.

Dawn looked at
her, "Is what Harmony saying true?"

"Harmony?" Buffy
yelped looking up at her family with a mixture of surprise and fear in her eyes.

Joyce had also
heard what that vindictive little slut Buffy had gone to school with had said,
but didn't believe a word of it.

"She was just..."
Joyce trailed off unsure of how to tell her daughter about what was said.

"Just what?"
Buffy pushed. She really didn\ant ant to know, but figured she should find out
what was being said by the bitch. After all it could ruin the deal and they'd be
living on the streets.

Seeing that her
mom wasn't going to fill Buffy in, Dawn decided she would.

"Actually Buffy,"
she began. "She was down at the Espresso Pump telling all her loser friends that
you were going to jail. I don't know why, but she insists that it's true and
she'd know because she works for the lawyer of the guy who is charging you."

Buffy's fork
dropped to the table with a clatter, showing the state of shock Buffy was in.
She couldn't believe that the slimy little whore had actually had the nerve to
make up malicious gossip about her and spread it around.

"Of course we
know it's not true," Joyce rushed in saying. ”You weren't at any lawyer's this
morning. You were at a job interview."

Buffy realised
that she didn't have much choice, she'd have to fess up that there was no
interview and that she had in fact been at Lindsey McDonald's office and why
she'd been there.

"Actually..." she
started, "I w

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