3rd Person's POV

"Angel?"

The shadowy figure steps out into the light with a slight frowns as they stare at her in worry.

"Hey... you're awake."

Laney slowly sits up being careful of the wires connected to her chest and hand. She frowns tilting her head to side.

"I guess... I don't... what happened? Do you know?"

Angelus hides a smirk as he shifts a little closer to her. He takes her hand into his as he looks down at her in fake concern.

"You fell... down a flight of stairs. Nobody knows how. Something bad happened too. They... you know Buffy and Xander, Giles... they might not talk about what happened to make sure you are okay mentally..."

Laney raises an eyebrow still frowning, "What? What happened?"

"Jenny... she's gone."

Laney feels a tear fall as her eyes full with tears, "W-what? How? What? I'm so confused."

"It was... a monster. Something so bad. So evil... I don't know if they're going to be able to stop it." Angel says as he brings his hand to her cheek wiping a tear from her face.

Laney shakes her head slightly, "Well w-what is it? I'm sure they... we can. Is it Spike? Did he find another big bad?"

Angelus feels his face twitch slightly as he hears Spike's name leave her lips.

"Bigger... badder."

Laney sighs and looks to her left. She smiles seeing a vase of roses. A few red and a few white.

"Buffy will figure it out. She always does..."

Angelus chuckles lowly while moving his hand form her face. He watches as her hand grips his quickly as she still looks at the flowers.

"Beautiful aren't they?"

Laney snaps her head over to Angelus and smiles, "Mhmm. There's no card though."

"I'm glad you like them. I figured you didn't really need a waste of paper. When you woke up I would just tell you to your face."

Laney grins widely as she stares at who she believed to be her best friend.

"Tell me what Angel?"

"I'm not-"

"Supposed to be in here."

Laney looks towards the door seeing a nurse stand in the doorway smiling slightly. Angelus rolls his eyes before smiling charmingly and turning to the nurse.

"Visiting hours over already?"

The nurse nods, "I'll give you a few more minutes but then I have to make sure this one is okay."

"Of course."

The nurse leaves out the room allowing Angelus to turn back to Laney. He frowns before shrugging.

"Guess I'm kicked out. I'll come see you tomorrow."

Laney nods, "Okay. I look forward to it."

Pulling Angelus's hand, Laney drags him closer to her and pulls him into a hug. Angelus freezes as she squeezes him lightly. She then pulls away remembering he wasn't used to friendship and physical intimacy.

"Goodnight."

Angelus nods and whispers night making himself seem all shy and mysterious once again.

Laney waves at him as he exits the room. A large smirk appears on his face as he strides down the hallway to the elevator.

As the elevator doors close, a wheelchair moves from around a corner nearby.

Laney spends a couple minutes answering questions and speaking to her nurse before the lady gives her water and leaves the room once more.

Laying back looking up at the ceiling, Laney's eyes start to flutter closed. She doesn't even hear the door open and close. Sighing, Laney freezes feeling chills on the back of her neck. She frowns and sits up slowly.

As soon as she sits straight up, a hand wraps around her mouth. She screams slightly as she glared at the blonde vampire who had haunted her every nightmare.

"Shhh play nice now, little one. No need to scream. Now I'm going to take my hand away and you're not going to yell. Understood?"

Laney glares slightly not nodding.

The blonde vampire raises an eyebrow then rips his hand away from her mouth. He stares at her in disbelief as she crosses her arms over her chest.

"Did you just bite me?"

Laney shrugs, "Did you just break into my hospital room?"

He nods with a light shoulder shrug, "Hm alright."

"Spike... what the hell are you doing here? What more do you want from me?"

Spike frowns confused, "Excuse me?"

"You heard me. You already put me in this hospital bed. What more do you want? Me six feet under?"

Spike raises a finger into the air and tilts his head slightly, "I'm very confused."

"Me too... Aren't you working with a big bad to destroy Buffy and my friends?"

Spike chuckles nodding, "Well yes but I didn't put you in here. Do you not..." Spike steps away giving Laney his full attention as he stares at her in awe, "You don't remember..."

"Remember what? I remember everything quite well. You trying to play your many games of who's going to stop the Scooby gang. Sending out your little minions here and there. Are you the reason Ms Calendar is dead? Because if so you better back up... before I find something sharp and wooden."

Spike frowns in disbelief, "He actually did it... he ruined you."

Laney frowns confused, "Who? You didn't do this?"

Spike doesn't answer as he slowly back away to the door where his wheelchair was.

Laney was very lost but she knew she wouldn't get answers from him. He was the bad guy. She wasn't even sure why he hadn't tried to kill her at this very moment. Didn't he want to? Didn't he want her gone?

"Spike... tell me who did this... I know we're not... we're nothing to each other. But I-I... I need to know."

"Stay away from him..."

Laney sits up straight and tensed, "Who?"

"He's not who you think he is..." Spike sits in his chair and turns to Laney as she gives him a pleading stare, "Angel is different now."

"W-what? Angel? Different how?... are you saying he's the reason I'm here? He wouldn't. He's my friend. He just visited me. He's been bringing me flowers. W-why should I trust you?"

Spike shakes his head, "You shouldn't slayerette. But you need to trust me a little bit more than him right now... you won't get this treatment next time."

"Then why are you here?"

"I just came to see if you were still alive. If you were getting better. That way next time I see you, I can kick your ass. Fair and square... no triple slayers. No Scooby gang. Just you and me."

Laney feels her heart elate as she tries her hardest not to grin. She smirks and shakes her head looking down at her casted hand.

"You're on... next time."

Spike nods and moves to roll backwards.

"Spike..."

Spike freezes and looks over his shoulder.

"Why are you faking being hurt?"

"Insurance... just do what I said, slayerette."

Laney watches him disappear. Once he's gone she lays back with a large sigh. Running her hands over her face, she groans.

"What's happening?"

"Laney!"

Laney jumps as the door swings open and Buffy runs into the room.

"You're awake! Are you okay?"

Laney thinks about telling her about both visitors she had recently. But she decided to keep it to herself. Figure out what was going on herself. She didn't want to be a burden. Well anymore than she was already.

"Yeah I'm fine!"

...

A modern-looking but deserted mansion sits among an empty street. Inside an atrium, Angelus comes in leading Spike and Drusilla on a tour.

"And this... this is the garden."

"Wow!" Drusilla walks through and picks up a flower, "Look. Jasmine."

Angelus watches Drusilla hold the flower while playin with some pruning shears.

"Night blooming."

"Like us. Oh, Angel, it's fairyland." She turns in excitement, "Ooh!"

Spike sits still at the entrance, "It's paradise." He replies sarcastically, "Big windows, lovely gardens. It'll be perfect when we want the sunlight to kill us."

"If you don't like it, Spike, hit the stairs and go. Take a stand, man." Angelus comes up behind Drusilla.

Spike growls turning away while looking inside the house, "Well, our old place was just fine till you went and had it burned down."

"Things change, Spikey. You gotta roll with the punches. Well, actually, you pretty much got that part down, haven't you?"

"Very funny, mate."

"What can I say? I just love to see you smile, buddy."

He holds up a jasmine bloom and brushes it across Drusilla's cheek as he growls into her ear.

"Yeah, you're a giver." Spike spins back around.

He freezes and stares angrily seeing Drusilla all cuddled up under Angelus. Clearing his throat the two turn around noticing him beside them. Angelus doesn't move but instead smirks. Drusilla gasps smiling happily before removing herself from Angelus' grip.

"My darling Spike, don't you just love this?"

Spike nods with a blank stare, "Yup. Dru love why don't you go find someone to eat?"

Drusilla goes to disagree but sees Spike's serious face. She nods and waltzes off out of the room.

Spike turns to Angelus who now drinks from a glass with what seemed like blood.

"Where we're you all day?"

"Out."

"Figuring out a way to stop the Slayer? Wait you don't have to answer that, I already know what you were doing."

"Excuse me?"

"The brunette... slayerette... you visited her again didn't you?"

Angelus smirks standing up with a light shrug of his shoulder, "And what does it matter?"

"The fact that you put her in that hospital bed, yet continue to see her every night for whatever reason."

"Someone is overly curious."

Spike sighs bringing his hand to his temple, "You already screwed with her brain. What more do you want?"

"Awww somebody cares a little too much about little slayerette."

Spike chuckles angrily shaking his head, "You're worried about the wrong girl mate. Buffy Summers. Blonde bony gal with a stick up her ass. That's who we should be tormenting... Killing honestly. Not playing mind games with the little brunette."

Angel bends down and smirks at Spike who is fuming, "Something makes me think like you're just mad that I'll get to her first. Taint the innocent little act she has going on... and there's nothing you can do about it.

Spike scoffs, "If that's what you want to believe. All I know is, the actual Slayer will end you if you continue to mess with the little one. What you need to do is take Summers down now that she's vulnerable."

Angelus slaps his hand on Spike's shoulder and frowns, "Everything is going to be fine. It's all working out, according to plan. Oh and also I get everything I want... you'll do best to remember that."

Angel walks away as Spike glares at his back.

"Your time is almost up... just waiting for the right moment."

...

The Bronze. Splendid is the band tonight. They are on stage performing "Charge". Spotlights shine above the band down past the drummer to the lead guitar player.

In the crowd, Cordelia and Xander are dancing close with their arms around each other and smiling.

Behind the dance floor at the tables, Willow is looking around for Buffy. She turns around and looks up, spotting her on the upper level leaning against the railing while watching the band.

Behind Buffy a boy approaches her.

"Hey."

Buffy turns to him, a little surprised.

The boy grins, "I'm Ben. We had Algebra II together last year."

Buffy frowns in confusion, "Sorry, I pretty much repress anything math-related."

"Ms. Jackson? Second period? You sat in the seat three over and one behind."

"Oh! Yeah, I remember now, it's the one with the desks and the chalkboards and pencils and stuff, right?"

Ben chuckles, "That's the one.

Buffy smiles and points at her head, "Like a steel trap."

"So, I was wondering, you know the dance tomorrow night? Are you going?"

"You mean the Sadie Hawkins thing? The deal where the girls ask the boys?"

"Yeah."

"And I thought maybe, you know, if you're free, you might ask me."

Buffy stares at him with wide eyes before exhaling out a sigh, "Oh, gosh... I..."

Ben holds up his hand, "Oh, oh, hey, hey, no, don't, don't worry about it..."

"No, no, you seem like a really great guy, it's... me. I-I'm not seeing anybody."

Ben gives her a look making her shrug with a light smile.

"Ever again, actually."

Ben frowns, "Oh. That's, that's too bad."

"Okay, well, I better..." He indicates away and goes.

"Sorry." Buffy whispers as she watches him go for a moment. She glances sadly down at the band and then heads for the stairs.

When Buffy reaches the bottom of the stairs Willow meets her.

"Hey! You're bailing?"

Buffy nods, "Yeah. I'm gonna stop by the library and see if Giles wants me to patrol, and then sack it."

"You've been doing that a lot. Patrolling and sacking. In fact, you've kind of been All-Work-And-No-Play Buffy."

"I play. I have big fun. I came here tonight, didn't I?"

Willow glances up at where Buffy had just left on the second level then back at Buffy frowning.

"You came, you saw, you... rejected."

"You mean that guy? Just not in date mode right now."

Willow smiles, "Well, maybe you need to date to get in date mode."

"I don't think I'm ready for that, Will."

"You're thinking too much. Maybe you need to be impulsive."

"Impulsive? Do you remember my ex-boyfriend, the vampire? I slept with him, he lost his soul, now my boyfriend's gone forever, and the demon that wears his face is killing my friends. The next impulsive decision I make will involve my choice of dentures."

Willow frowns then grimaces, "Okay, the Angel thing went badly, I'm on board with that, but that's not your fault. And anyways, love isn't always like that. Love can be... nice!"

"Says the one who is in a loving relationship." Buffy frowns.

"And he's actually present and in town."

Willow rolls her eyes before turning around and helping Laney who had been limping over to an empty chair near them.

"Laney! The doctor said you should be resting. No walking on your foot either."

Laney shrugs with a small smile, "I'm not... I'm limping, duh."

Buffy chuckles shaking her head, "Same thing Laney... anyways what are you doing out of bed. You're not really missing out on the Bronze tonight. It's not as popular as it used to be."

Laney nods, "That's because 'Dingoes Ate My Baby' hasn't played since before I got hurt. It's been what three weeks?"

Willow nods agreeing, "One month tomorrow."

Laney opens her mouth to speak but is interrupted by another voice nearby.

"Can you hurry up and get better so we can get a good band to play here?" Cordelia groans as she sits down beside Laney, after popping up out of no where.

"Oh yeah sure I'm just tell my body to heal faster. No problem."

"Is that sarcasm I sense in your voice?"

This chapter is super short 😭😩 don't hate me!!! I think I'm finally past my little bit of writers block with these last few episodes!! Super excited!!

How are we feeling?!?

Angel and Spike visits 👀😳😌

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