Walking down the street, I take in a deep breath to enjoy the fresh air of the city.
I don't know what it is, but things don't feel right. Which is really weird, because I'm really happy in basically every way. For the first time in my life, I have everything I've ever wanted. I actually like being a slayer after so many years of hating it. I'm not looking over my shoulder every second for the next evil force to come along and screw up my life. I don't even have to worry about the apocalypse happening every other month because the hellmouth is closed.
After Dawn permanently closed the Sunnydale hellmouth, Willow and Giles went and checked on the Cleveland hellmouth. It ended up being really reduced in its power because of what Dawn did to Sunnydale's. So we don't really have to worry about that one either. I can just... live. I can live and be happy.
I look over at Angel walking next to me, smiling before going back to focusing on our direction.
I might even be willing to say that I'm perfectly happy. And that isn't in fact actually a bad thing like it used to be. Apparently closing the hellmouth permanently had a great side effect. Angel's curse was lifted, making his soul permanent and letting him go. Of course he still tortures himself about his past, but he doesn't have to worry about it as much. And what's better is that we can be happy together without worrying about him losing his soul.
Spike was disappointed when I found this out and had to make a choice. If circumstances were different, I might have chosen him. I do love him and he showed me a part of myself that I never knew I had. It made me a better person today. But ultimately, I had to choose Angel. Some part of me has always loved him and I can't deny that. That wouldn't be fair to Spike for me to do that to him. Better to be honest and let him down easy.
Last I heard, he's doing pretty good though on his own. He's even got his own team he's building in New York with Robin. I wouldn't have thought they'd be working together, given their history, but apparently they're making it work. So he's happy and I don't have to worry about him either. Because of that, I can now be happy with Angel and just live my life.
So why does it feel like something's wrong?
Angel squeezes my hand and I smile at him, with him smiling back.
"You feel that?"
His look turns serious for a moment before focusing ahead.
Something's wrong. What is it?
I shift my focus so that I can feel and listen to the things around me, which ends up hitting me.
He's right, I can feel it. There's something following us although I can't really tell what it is from here. It feels kinda familiar somehow but also things are off. It's definitely supernatural of some kind. I just don't know that I can tell what kind. It's nice to know that we can do this type of thing together.
"This is nice, isn't it?"
"What's that?"
"Being able to do this type of thing together again. Track demons and other supernatural things as a team? I missed it the past few years."
He smiles but tries to hide it quickly to stay focused.
"I definitely missed it. As great as it is to work with Wesley and my team, there's something to be said for a good couples hunting date."
I love that we can talk about being a couple like this and it isn't a problem.
"Definitely... so how do you want to handle this?"
We continue walking down the street together, trying to act like we don't know someone is following us.
"There's an alley down the street that's pretty wide. It would give us enough space to fight if that's what we need to do."
That could actually work well, but did he say if we need to?
"What do you mean if?"
"I get a lot of clients approaching me on the street. They don't always feel comfortable coming into the office."
"Well when you work at an evil law firm, it tends to make innocent people shy."
"True, maybe we should set up a separate office for clients like that to meet with us."
"Might be a good idea."
"You think whoever's following us is a client or an enemy?"
"Could be either, or both."
I can't help but laugh at that.
"Your life's a lot more complicated than it used to be."
"True... but that's part of the fun too."
I could use a little more complication in my life these days. Maybe that's what I need to do to fix my feeling that something's gone wrong. My life is a little too simple and it's left me without much to do.
"Sounds like it. Maybe I should stick around a while, I could use a little fun these days."
"Being semi-retired isn't agreeing with you?"
I smile at his question.
"No it's great. It's just not the most exciting thing in the world right now."
"So I'm not exciting enough for you?"
I know he said that with a joking tone, but I should make sure he doesn't think he's not enough.
Using our clasped hands, I pull him to me and stop. He puts his arms around me and I get a little tingly with him bringing us together.
"Oh you're plenty exciting for me."
"Am I?"
I put my hands around him, looking up at him with a mischievous smile.
"Definitely. I'm very excited around you. How about you?"
"What about me?"
His hands push our hips together and I feel the bulge in his pants against me, getting me hotter.
"Do I still excite you?"
He grins at me.
"What do you think?"
Almost immediately I feel his bulge grow.
I guess I got my answer.
Closing the distance between our heights, I raise myself up on my toes and we kiss. The kiss is slow and passionate just the way we like it but I feel whatever is following us getting closer so I break it.
We definitely need to get this thing off our tail. Whatever it is has been really cautious about approaching us. They're either waiting for the perfect opportunity to attack or not sure whether we're dangerous or not. I guess we'll have to give it a reason to approach us or we'll never figure it out. They might decide to leave just to be safe, and if it's a potential innocent, that could end badly for them.
After basking in each other for a few moments, we turn to continue down the street to the alley.
"It's just up here."
That works.
The alley comes up on us and we casually make our way down it. Whatever it is continues to approach, letting us know that the plan is working. We get about half way down the alley when I feel it turning down the alley. Right as we're about to turn to face them, a crash is heard pretty far away and we both turn to see someone has put a dent in the bricks and concrete of the building when they leaned on it.
Who's that? They clearly have some serious power if they did that. But they look kinda familiar even with the shadows around them.
Looking at Angel, he seems as confused as I am.
"What do you think? Innocent?"
"Could be."
Slowly, we start to approach them as they don't seem to be moving much.
I definitely feel like I know them from somewhere, it's just not clear where.
I hear them speak kinda softly as we get closer.
"B... Buff... Buffy..."
They know my name? Do I know them?
"Hello?"
They try to get to a standing position but quickly lose their balance, and when they hit the ground, the concrete breaks apart.
It doesn't look like they're trying to kill us. They don't have enough to really do that. Probably why it took them so long to catch up.
"Do I know you?"
Angel and I approach them and I get close enough to see who it is.
Oh my god, it can't be.
"Pike?"
How can Pike be here? I haven't seen him in years. How did he find me?
"You know him?"
"Yeah, he's an old friend. A VERY old friend... but he wasn't anything supernatural when I knew him."
"I guess he must have changed."
"B-Buffy..."
"Pike? What is it? How did you find me?"
"Help... me..."
He goes limp, apparently passing out.
Oh crap...
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