Choices

You guys crack me up with your reviews! I agree with Kimber...we should take a poll. Who will be Buffy's first?? Who do you want it to be?? I already know (lol--I'm a horrible tease huh?), but I'm curious to hear what you all think :) Bec, I promise Angel is going to get some action. And Tygerlily, you made me laugh lol. Marianne, welcome to the story! :) And to all of those that I did not mention, thanks for the reviews and please continue. Makes an author smile:)

Chapter Seventeen


The days seemed to drag and at once fly by. For Buffy and Spike anyway. There had been so many times during the week up to the showing that Buffy had just wanted to break down and tell Angel. So many opportunities when they were alone and able to. Whenever she opened her mouth to say something though, it was as if the words were stuck in her throat. How hard was it to just say 'I love Spike and he loves me too'? Apparently, very hard.

The whole thing was wearing on her nerves and making her anxious. That, plus the gallery showing. She was excited about it, but she also knew how hard it was going to be to be there without her mother there for the first time. She knew Angel felt that too and he was becoming just as anxious. Spike had offered to help in any way he could and Angel had taken him up on his offer.

So, as they were bgettgetting things together, she dragged Willow out to help her find something suitable for the big night. It was in two short days and she had nothing. She couldn't seem to concentrate though. What if Spike slipped while he was helping Angel? What if she came home to a war zone because of it? What if...no, Angel wouldn't stake Spike, would he? The thought made her freeze in terror. She quickly rummaged through her purse and grabbed her cell--with her money, she had gotten the three of them cells of their own.

"Spike," she said into the phone and tapped her foot as it rang.

"Ello?"

"Spike, you're okay," she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Well, yeah. Is there any reason why I shouldn't be?"

"Just me and my imagination running wild."

"I know, kitten. Don't worry. Everything's peachy. Aren't they Peaches?"

She smiled as she heard Angel grumbling in the background at Spike.

"Okay, well, I'll let you get back to work."

"Kay kitten. See you later."

"Bye," she hung up and found Willow standing in front of her.

"Find anything?" The red head asked.

"Uh, not really. I had to call Spike and see how he was."

"Making sure no big nasty demon was after him?"

Buffy's jaw dropped, as well as her phone and her eyes popped. "What?"

Willow smiled. "Thought I didn't know huh?"

"Wha--? How did--What do you--?"

"Oh come on Buffy. I went to high school with you remember? I heard the stories. I've seen your strength firsthand when you thought no one noticed. I also know that I never heard about your 'brothers' before you were fifteen. And, I know that Spike and Angel are vampires." Willow said as she picked up Buffy's cell and handed it to her.

If Buffy's eyes popped anymore out if her head they were going to roll out of her head, and she was pretty sure she didn't have a jaw any longer. ?How did you know that??

"Oz is a werewolf. He could sense it. They give off a completely different vibe."

"Why didn't you ever say anything? Were you just waiting to gather information and exploit me later on? Were you laughing at me behind my back?"

"No, Buffy, of course not! Well, I was laughing at you, but only because of how shoddy your lies were. I was waiting for you to come and tell me on your own. I planned that if you came to me and told me, I would admit it to you thereby showing you what an awesome friend I am by keeping my mouth shut and keeping your secret even to you!" She was smiling, so proud of herself.

"So, what made you tell me you knew now?"

Willow shrugged, "not sure really. Maybe I get some perverse thrill from watching your shock face. Or it could be because you've been really high strung for the past week and I was thinking it had something to do with...what you do. What is it you do exactly?"

"Slay demons, vampires. I'm like Batman and Newport is my Gotham City. What were the stories in high school?"

"That you spent all your time in the cemeteries at night with two vampire's."

"Eerily true. Who started the rumors?"

"Cordelia Chase. I think she was crushing on Angel and was jealous."

"That vapid ho wouldn't have had a chance in hell with Angel!" Buffy burst out.

Both girls stopped and stared at each other wide-eyed.

"Where did that come from?" Willow asked.

Buffy knit her eyebrows together. "I'm not sure. I guess I've been feeling a little protective of Angel lately."

"Why? Is there some vapid ho on the horizon?"

"Well, no...."

"Because he's totally into you. So is Spike as a matter of fact."

"Oh my God..." Buffy put her head in her hands. "I think my head is going to explode." She looked up, "Did you say Oz was a werewolf?"

"Come on, let's go find a private place to talk. I have a feeling we have a lot to tell each other."

"Ya think?"

Willow laughed and led a shocked Buffy out of the mall.


********

An hour later the girls sat secluded in Buffy's room catching up on what was really going on in their lives.

"So, he just started turning a couple years ago? And he locks himself up every full moon?"

Willow nodded, "yep. So, if you were to say that Oz was an animal, you'd be right." She grinned cheekily and Buffy laughed.

"So," Willow continued as she grabbed a cheeto, "what's going on with Spike and Angel? I get that they protect you and all that, and that you're some kind of superhero, but what are the um, relations with the three of you? Are you all...doing it?"

Buffy's jaw dropped for the thousandth time that night. "What? Doing it? Oh, no...no, no, no. Sex is not being had by any of us. Well, not totally. I mean, Spike and I are kind of an item, but it's complicated, well, not really complicated. Only complicated because of Angel--"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Start again. You and Spike are together, but not really? How is that possible?"

"Okay, see, a few weeks ago Spike and I admitted to each other that we had feelings for each other. I love him. He loves me. The one problem is Angel."

Willow nodded. "Because he loves you too."

"What? No. Angel loves me, yeah, but not like that."

"You're kidding right?"

"What do you mean?"

"Buffy, I could tell within five minutes that both of them are completely in love with you. Plus, the pheromones that they give off."

"Explain please."

"Well, see, Oz is a werewolf. Werewolves are like dogs except way more intense. Animals give off a scent when they are about to mate."

"Like arousal? Vampire's sense that stuff too."

"Like I said though, Werewolves are more intense creatures. More animal I guess you could say. They sense things a bit stronger than your average..um, 'mythical' creature."

"So, you're saying that Oz could 'smell' the fact that Angel and Spike are in love with me?"

"Exactly. It was a subtle change that only Oz could sense."

"Well, you'd be right if you were talking about Spike--"

"Not just Spike, Buffy. Angel too. He looks at you as if you hung the moon."

Buffy could just stare at Willow, her eyebrows knit together, her face a perfect mask of confusion.

"You don't see it at all?"

"Angel's always been...attentive. I know he cares about me; I care about him too. But there's never been anything like that between us."

"So then what is the problem with Angel?" Willow prompted.

"He uh, I mean, Spike and I haven't told him about us--you think he's in love with me you say?"

Willow nodded slowly. "Why haven't you told Angel about you two?"

"I just think it would make things awkward, I think it would hurt him--not because I think he's in love with me, but because the three of us have been together for so long. We're a family, and it would be disrupted."

"I think you're right about all that, except I think you should add in that he would be devastated that you're in love with Spike and not him."

"Why are you pushing this Angel loves me thing so much?"

"I think you need to be aware of it Buffy. Especially since you're with Spike and plan on telling Angel of your relationship. When he has a complete canary over it, I think it's best you know why he's going to flip a nutty aside from the fact that you're all family."

Buffy stood and started pacing. "You're wrong. You're seeing things. Angel doesn't feel that way about me."

"Buffy, I didn't mean to freak you out about it."

Buffy stopped pacing. "I'm not freaking out!"

"Then why are you shouting?"

Both girls jumped a mile and turned to see Spike and Angel standing in her doorway.

Angel started toward her. "What's going on?" He asked, lng ang accusingly at Willow.

Buffy stared at Angel, her mouth dry, her heart beating rapidly. Oh God, she felt like she did when she realized she had feelings for Spike, as if the room was caving in around her. Angel couldn't, he didn't, Willow was wrong...wasn't she?

"We were um, just talking about the class I'm taking and how um--" Buffy couldn?t think straight to save her life.

"And how she has a test coming up on Monday, you know the weekend before the big gallery showing and it's pretty intensive, this test. I think she's just stressed about it." Willow rushed to explain.

"I'm sure you'll do fine, Buffy. No need to worry. You can take Friday and Saturday off and study instead. Then you'll have all day Sunday to study too. I'll help you out." Angel told her soothingly. He laid a hand on her back and she jumped a mile.

"That all that's bothering you, pet?" Spike asked, eyebrow raised.

Buffy nodded. "Yeah, you know...with the everything. Yeah, um, Willow, didn't you want to catch that late movie?"

"Yeah, you're right, I did. We should go." Willow got up from the bed and grabbed her purse. She grabbed Buffy?s hand, "let's go. We don't want to miss the previews! That's the best part!"

The girls rushed out the apartment leaving behind one very confused vampire and one very worried vampire.

"What was that all about?" Angel asked.

"Sometimes I think the girl's on crack."

TBC.....The plot thickens....