A Gift from Evan

So yeah things between me and B got real bad, real fast. Man, who knew getting a girl in trouble would make her go off you just like that? So, then I pretty much had two options. I could go after her and try to apologise or I could go torch Walsh's office for fun... I of course chose the second one, but I still went to go see B afterwards - Haha! Walsh's office in flames was too funny. I 'specially liked watchin' this signed certificate from the Secretary of State go up. She musta bought that in some auction or something, 'cause there's no way that even the military could survive her.

So, anyway some beer, several matches and kerosene cans later, I did some investigating about this Eddie guy that I'm supposed to be. Found the key card for his building and went to go see the Super to get in his actual room. Near ran into what coulda been some drama there though. The whole room was empty and there was a suicide note on the bed. It took a hell of a lot of convincing to get him to believe that I was playing a joke on myself and all my stuff was in storage. But he bought it and even made me a new key.

After that, I caught a few Zs and then headed down to a cemetery down south - that's usually where all the action is at this time. I was hoping to catch Buffy already there in the middle of fighting - thought I could lend a hand, come off the big hero and probably help her out with the 'bout of the hornies that comes after a real good kill - but when I got down there, it was just Giles looking at his watch and getting all pissed. After an intro, a vamp attack or two and some idle chit chat- who knew Giles was so fuckin' cool- B showed up...

~ Still eight days later ~

"Sorry, I'm late," Buffy says, rushing up to us. "Evan?" She says noticing me.

"What's up, girlfriend? Me and your Watcher here've been beating back the vamps waitin' on you to show up."

"Yes, well I would have gotten here sooner if *someone* hadn't nearly caused World War three in class."

Giles perks up. "Yes, your somewhat rather zesty friend here explained the.. er.. trouble you found yourselves in this evening."

"Did he now?" B says, narrowing her eyes at me.

I get up and lead her away from Giles a little to give us some privacy. "Real sorry about that, B. Hope that T.A. guy wasn't too hard on ya."

She sighs. "No big. Did my time. We're all square with Walsh."

"Not me," I remind her. "Still gotta do that paper on the crazy things guys"- and girls.. and girls as guys- "do to get in with hot girls... Thought I'd start by hanging out in a creepy cemetery with her watcher."

"I heard that," Giles says from behind us and B giggles.

I turn to G-man. "Not that I didn't enjoy every minute of it, though; we should do it again some time. But the Slayer's here now so I'm gonna take off."

"Thanks," Buffy says. "You didn't have to do that."

"Like I said, I had fun."

She smiles.

"So, we good?" I have to make sure.

"We're good."

"Can I see you tomorrow?"

"Well, we have class tomorrow, so probably."

"Probably's not good enough for me, Summers. Swing by my dorm on your way in? Three two four, Dunwirth."

"Maybe."

Now I smile. "Ok."

And I leave. For one thing I'm sick of patrolling in this body. I mean, I'd go patrolling 24/7 if I could; but in my regular body. In this thing, I'm not nearly as quick or as strong; so it's pretty dangerous trying to push it. For two things; I have me some plans for tonight. Feeling pretty juiced up so figure I can use this chance find me some fresh meat; give this body a little test drive - yep, to the Bronze it is.
I know what you're thinking and it's not even like that. I'm not a dog; I just want to make sure that everything in that department is working ok - wouldn't wanna disappoint Buffy when we finally do get together; so I'm going to get in a practice run or two before B and I get pelvic - wouldn't it just be a fuckin' tragedy if I'm a virgin when we get together?

I knew you'd see my point. It's all for Buffy; I swear.

I walk into the Bronze and do a quick scan. I see a few bangables and a few maybe-after-a-couple-o'-JDs, but then I catch a glimpse of this real sexy blonde sitting at a booth with a group of guys. She's talking and laughing with them, flipping her hair and acting silly and it's getting me hot like you wouldn't believe. I love girls who are just so comfortable being themselves and stuff. Not self conscious about what people are thinking about them. Girls like me.. Well, like I used to be... Anyway, I'm walking over to them and I'm deciding that I'm fucking that girl tonight whether I have to kill all these guys to do it, but then she gets up and heads for... the pool table... no, wait.. the restroom.

B.I.N.G.O.

I walk over to the restrooms and go in after her. She looks a little surprised when she sees me come in after her... Oh, yeah. Right - doh!...

"I thought it said 'Ladies' on the door..." she says.

"Yeah, my bad..." Habit. "You're just so hot, I lost my concentration."

She rolls her eyes and walks into a stall. Wait... What?!

Shot down? Oh hell, no! I walk outside and wait for like ever for her and when she finally comes out, I try again. "Hi again. Can we start over?"

"Listen, buddy, I don't know what your deal is but I don't like being followed into the toilets by strange men."

"It was an accident."

"Sure. One followed by 'you're just so hot, I lost my concentration'? Gimme a break."

"Aw, c'mon you're being a little harsh don't you think? I'm trying to say sorry here." She mellows a bit, so I add, "I'm sorry, OK? Let me buy you a drink; make up for it."

"I'm with friends-"

"I'll buy them drinks too." Like hell, I will.

"Ok. In that case, I accept your apology." She holds out her hand and I shake it. "Joanna."

"Evan. Tell you what, go ask your friends what they're having and meet me at the bar."

"Alright."

Wow... that was hard. I usually don't have *this* much trouble picking up people. I blame my lack of dimples. I head to the bar and order me up a Jack. I recognise the bartender- whose name is Chris- but for obvious reasons he doesn't recognise me.

"That'll be two dollars fourty," he tells me, putting the drink down. I down it and search for my wallet, which I now remember is on my nightstand. I'm about to explain when Joanna joins me and says, "I'll have a Cosmo and the guys want beers."

"No problem, as long as you have your drink with me." She glances back at her table and then agrees. I look back to Chris, who's still waiting on his two dollars fourty. "Cosmo for the lady, Chrissy and put it on the tab."

"What tab?"

"Faith Lehane's."

"Friend of hers?"

"Cousin. And she tells me... *everything*," I stress the word.

"Faith's tab it is," he says. “And can I get you another JD?"

"Just make sure these glasses don't go empty and we're good, my friend."

He nods and fills my glass up.

---

Not a bad chick to know that Joanna. Sweet... funny... Nice ass. If I wasn't totally hung up on Buffy, I would have called her back for seconds.. Maybe even thirds.. Which is a pretty big commitment as far as I go. We had fun. Several drinks and the ditching of her pals later, we ended up at my new campus bachelor pad. We fucked like bunnies 'til it was light and fell asleep together. I woulda kicked her out after the sex, if I wasn't so damn tired (a slayer's body this is not) which was a pretty dumb move 'cause about an hour after we fell asleep....

~ Seven days earlier ~


I'm woken up by a knock on the door and have to break Joanna's death grip from me to get up. Why's she holdin' on to me so tight? I'm pullin' at her arm to get free then I hear another knock followed by an,

"Evan, it's Buffy."

FUCK!

I yank Joanna's arm off of me and she rolls over, still asleep. Wow.. I really wore her out..

Nice.

I throw on a shirt, pants and sneakers and head out into the hall, pulling the door shut behind me.

"Hey," I say, trying not to talk directly into B’s face. Even though I only got about an hour of sleep, morning breath's morning breath, y'know.

"Hey," she says back, handing me a take away cup. "Ready?"

I run a hand through my hair, take the drink and answer, "Yep. What's this?" I ask, taking a swig anyway - hey, it's not like she's gonna poison me. "Ugh, coffee?"

"Not a fan?"

"Not really," I tell her, walking with her to our class. "But, thanks."

"No problem," She says. "Hey, have you heard from Faith?"

I pause- double take- and then take another gulp of the coffee before making a 'Yuk' face and saying, "Yeah. Spoke to her last night. She's doing good."

"Has she taken care of the family emergency?"

"Nope. Not yet; she's still got another week or so."

She looks real confused. "What kind of emergency is this?"

"Oh. Emergency? It's our... my uncle.. Earl... Lehane - Faith's dad... He's got some European disease or something - Carpel Tunnel." Wow, I'm getting real good at this makin' up stuff on the spot and I'm pretty sure Carpel Tunnel's a real disease.

"Right..." B says. I think she bought it. "Well, when you speak to her again, could you let her know that I... we all miss her and that I hope everything's okay with us... She'll get it."

Aw, man. She misses me? "I'll pass on the message," I tell her.

We get to Psych and I hold the door for her. We spot Red and the fuckin' witch's only gone and saved a seat next to her for Buffy. Yeah ONE seat. How fuckin' awkward. I tell B to sit down and that I'll catch up with her later, but then she points out a couple of seats together three rows behind.

"We'll talk later, k?" she says to Red and leads the way. Red nods and faces forward. Holy fricken wow! She ditched her best friend for me?! Whoa. I sit next to her and class starts. We take Roll Call and I actually remember to answer to my new name this time- go me, huh? Walsh makes an announcement about how the cops are looking for the perps of some arson attack at the campus. I don't care though. Technically, I don't exist, so they'll never figure it out.

We start the lecture and it's actually going good; Walsh is talkin some more about this ID thing and it's pretty cool, 'cause I'm getting this stuff and... learning.. Yup, me... learning... Go figure. The way prof's telling it, we're all split in three: the ID, the ego and the super ego and it's like the ID and super ego are at a war with each other and the ego's like the buffer tryin' to make everything work. I like the idea of the ID; the ID's my kinda people.

Wait, Walsh's asking a question... Hold up, I actually know the answer to this one.

"The ID wants to be totally untamed and control everything but it's stopped by the ego," I call out.

"Care to elaborate?" Walsh says and all eyes are on me.

"Sure. The ID works on the pleasure principle. It don't give a damn 'bout what society or whatever's gotta say 'cause it's all about the important stuff: feedin', fuckin', having fun." I smile real big and carry on. "Way Sig Freud tells it though, we all gotta grow up sometime which is where the ego comes in and acts like a muzzle for the ID."

Walsh nods. "Well said, Mr. Thomas. Crudely put, but well said."

"Here to help," I tell her, as the bell goes.

"We'll continue tomorrow. I want everyone to have read chapters eleven and twelve for then."

People get up and start filin' out and Buffy turns to me all wide eyed. "Well aren't you Mr. Bookworm. Colour me impressed."

"Yeah, well when I'm not getting us into trouble or hanging out with old guys in graveyards, I like to pick up a book now and then."

She smiles. "The subject's is really interesting and all, but I'm finding it a little hard to get motivated outside class-time. I have this roommate from hell and every time I try to study, she's right there either spinning the best of VH1 or being the mini mom of momdonia." She does a demo in a real upbeat peppy voice, "Make sure you log those calls, Buffy. Clean up that gum, Buffy. Close the window, Buffy - I swear she's slowly driving me insane."

"Want me to ice her for ya?" I offer.

She giggles. "Nah... Well, not yet anyway.. I'll give her another couple of days and they get back to you on that one."

"Well, you're always welcome at my room. I don't have a roommate, so it'd be pretty quiet."

"Thanks. I'll have to take you up on that sometime."

We're distracted when we hear someone clear their throat at the front of the class. Red's stood waiting for us, so we head down to her.

"What do you have now?" B asks me.

"Nothing, I'm done. Figure I'd hit the library; do the reading." Haha not really, I'm heading back to the dorm to kick Joanna out and get some s-leep! "You?"

"We have drama," Red answers for her.

"Cool," I say.

"Oh, hey, did you ask Evan to the party tonight?" Red blurts out.

"Thanks, Will," Buffy says, sarcastically. She turns to me. "There's this party tonight at Wolfhouse. If you're free, I thought we could go."

"Together?" I ask. She blushes. Uh oh; damage control. "I mean, I'm there. What time?"

"It starts at ten."

"Great. I mean ten's a good time." WHAT?! "I mean, I can meet you at yours before; say nine thirty?"

"Great."

"Great," Willow adds. "You can double with Oz and I."

Double... As in date? "Yeah," I say. "So, I'll see you guys then."

"Yep. C'mon we're so late." Red says dragging Buffy away with her. She smiles a bye and I'm left in an empty class... alone...

Whoa...

She just asked me out on a date...

Whoa...

I so have nothing to wear... I wonder if the Xan-man has anything decent in his closet. My first actual date with B... My first actual date, period.

Holy shit.

TBC...