There’s More To This Than Meets The Eye
Buffy let herself into the hotel room she and Spike were sharing at Angel’s hotel. Giles had finally sent her home, seeing how she really wasn’t the best at researching. Ever since his first talk with Max, the older man had been trying to discover why Angel’s curse had appeared on her skin. Willow had been helping, trying to translate the new words that were there. But aside from knowing that there was more than the original curse, Buffy had no clue how to help. If it were a lead to follow for a new demon, she’d be all over it, but it was Angel. And while she may not love him the way she used to, she still cared for him. That and the worry over Giles and Max’s burgeoning relationship was starting to wear on her. So Spike had sent her ahead, wanting to make a round of patrol before he came back and Buffy was grateful. For so long, she’d been doing it all herself. It felt really good to have back up from someone who really understood. She made sure the door was locked then began to walk towards the bed, stripping her shirt along the way.
"Not that I wouldn’t enjoy the show," a male voice floated across the darkened room. Buffy shrieked in surprise and yanked the shirt up to cover her breasts. A light flickered on and she was stunned to see Whistler, the flamboyant demon lounging on her bed. She relaxed slightly as he turned to look away. She slipped her shirt over her head. "I just think it’d happen to make the boys upset. You might threaten me, but they’d kick my scrawny ass for sure."
"What the hell are you doing here?" Buffy demanded, angry over her embarrassment.
"I’m enjoying the comforts of Angel’s hospitality," he joked, turning back to her. "Just like you are."
"Well, not in my bed you aren’t," she sighed. She motioned with her hand and chuckling, Whistler obeyed. He rose from the bed and moved to one of the chairs by the door.
"My only question to you," he spoke jovially, although he was completely serious, "is why are you still here?"
"What do you mean, why am I still here?" Buffy was getting angry again. "Giles just had surgery. He almost died. We’re trying to figure out this new prophecy. Where else would I be?"
"I meant, why are you still here at Angel’s?" Whistler clarified. "I mean, you’ve got Spike now, what do you want with my boy?" Buffy bristled at the unspoken taunt.
"Angel’s my friend," she began. Whistler’s scoff stopped her.
"Yeah, throw me another line, cause I ain’t taking that bait."
"He is," she spoke defiantly.
"Then why are you always in his face, reminding him of what you two don’t have anymore and never will?" Whistler demanded. "Why aren’t you letting him move on? That’s what a friend does, right?"
"He is moving on," Buffy growled irritably.
"No he’s not kid," Whistler shook his head, inwardly cursing stubborn women. And men for that matter. He knew that as long as Buffy was around, Angel would stay in limbo. Unable to forget his first love, unable to move on to the one that really needed him. "You’re here, rubbing his nose in the fact that for once, you got a leg up on him. You chose Spike over him, and the Powers know that had to hurt. He’s lost everything and here you are, throwing it in his face every time he turns around. What I told you all those years ago was the truth. No one saw you coming."
"Yeah, I remember," Buffy rolled her eyes. "You told me that right before I had to kill my soul mate."
"See, look at that, your soul mate," Whistler pounced on her words. "If he was your soul mate, then why didn’t you wait for him? Why not give him the chance to come around? Why choose Spike?"
Buffy gaped at him. "Well, you know what I mean. Angel was the first man I ever loved. And I always will love him."
"And even though he’s already dead, that’s what killing him a little every day," Whistler sighed. "For crying out loud Slayer, Angel was only supposed to help you fight your battles. But no, the two of you got it in your head that romance between the Slayer and a Vampire was the most illicit, romantic thing in the world. At least Angel knew it was wrong and tried to fight against it. You knew it was wrong and ran headlong into it." Buffy was on her feet instantly, one hand fisted in the material of the demon’s shirt, the other ready to fly.
"You don’t know anything about Angel and I," she growled. Whistler stared up at her, defiantly.
"Wrong kid, I know everything." Buffy stared at him, then finally loosed her grip.
"Everything, huh?" she grunted, taking a seat near his. "Then tell me why Max showed up. What the hell does she want here?"
"Want?" Whistler scoffed. "Max doesn’t want anything. She’s just trying to live her life, do the right thing, just like Angel does."
Buffy picked up on that immediately. "Just like Angel? So she’s here because of him?"
"I can’t tell you that kid," Whistler knew he had to be careful here. He was on shaky ground with what he could reveal. "I got to ask you kid, in all your time with Angel, did the good times outweigh the bad? And by bad I mean sending him to hell and then constantly rejecting each other, never understanding where the other was coming from, man the list could go on." Buffy didn’t reply, just sat gazing at him with her large green eyes. "What I’m saying kid, is that love shouldn’t hurt. It can be a pain in the ass to deal with sometimes, but in the end, it should all be good." He hoped he was getting through to her. She needed to let go and give Angel the chance to move on. The Powers still had work for him to do, and she was only slowing him down. She didn’t speak for another moment, then tried again with her tactic.
"What do you know about Max?" she demanded softly. Whistler watched her for a moment, wondering how to deal with this stumbling block. He could tell her the truth, or he could remain silent. But he saw a way that just might achieve the end he wanted.
"Like I said, I know everything," he shrugged. "I know the demon that saw to it she was created. I know all about her childhood, the things she’s done."
"What things?" Buffy interrupted. "Tell me."
"Things like, how she killed her brother Ben. How she left her sister Brin for dead, for Lydecker. I know that she killed a prison warden. She refused to save a little girl being sexually abused by her father. I know about the day she ripped apart a man trying to escape from her and her siblings. She even killed her own nephew. There’s a lot I know about Max." He finished slyly. Buffy looked a little green around the edges. Here she had been trying to be a little friendly with this woman. She was no vampire or demon, she was just a person using her skills to maim and destroy. She was worse than Faith. At least the other Slayer had only killed one man and did time for it. But now, Buffy seemed to have a rogue killer on her hands.
"Does Angel know any of this?" she demanded, gripping the armrests of her chair tightly.
"No, he doesn’t," Whistler had to bite his inner cheek. His little plan was working. Buffy shot out of her seat.
"I have to tell him," she decided as she hurried out of her room. Whistler allowed himself a little chuckle, then followed after her. He wanted to see the fireworks bound to appear.
Confrontation
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