Angel woke late the next evening feeling something seriously wrong. He pulled himself out of the bed and into the shower. He started to function when Angelus actions ran through his mind. "Buffy, I'm so sorry." He dressed and headed to Willie's for blood. Walking through Sunnydale, he couldn't shake the feeling Buffy needed him. She was somewhere hurting. Willie looked at him as if he were a ghost then gave him the blood free. The demon bar owner wasn't sure if it was Angelus or Angel.
Angel put away the blood then went to find out about Buffy. He knocked on Giles apartment door knowing Joyce wouldn't talk to him. Giles opened the door, tears in his eyes, and saw the last 'person' on earth he ever expected. "What are you doing here? You supposed to be dead and in hell." He went to slam the door in Angel's face.
"Wait Giles; it's me Angel. I need to know about Buffy. I feel like she is in trouble. Please, do you know is she okay?"
The older man sighed then looked closely at the dark haired vampire. He saw Angel's soul shining behind his eyes. "Come in Angel. I can't tell even you, this on the front porch."
Angel felt his heart clench. He quietly walked into the Watcher's apartment to stand by the door.
"I'm not sure I can even say the words. I received a call from the Council and their seers notified them of Buffy's death."
"NO!" Angel crumpled to the floor as tears flowed down his face. "But Giles I still feel her. She doesn't feel dead, more hurt but not dead. Are you sure? I mean absolutely positive she is gone."
Giles looked at the pain in Angel's eyes. He finally recognized the love between Angel and Buffy. "I'm sorry Angel but the seers are never wrong about when a slayer passes. I don't know how I will tell Joyce. She will be heartbroken and children as well. Was there anything else you needed?"
Angel shook his head slowly getting to his feet and walked out. He walked around Sunnydale until almost dawn. Tempted to wait for the sun but he knew Buffy wouldn't want him to. Returning the mansion, he crawled back up the stairs into bed. "Buffy, baby you can't be gone I would feel it in my heart, in my soul." Tears fell down Angel's chiseled cheekbones as his shoulders shook with silent sobs.
Giles knocked on Joyce's door it opened he noticed her red eyes from crying. She flung herself into his arms; her body shook with heartbroken sobs. "Oh Rupert it is so terrible. How will I ever forgive myself? The way we left everything when we last spoke."
He helped her back into the house and over to the sofa. Pulling her into his arms, she laid her head on his shoulder as he brushed her hair back from her face. "Can I get you anything dear? Perhaps, a cup of tea?"
Joyce looked up at this kind man moving further into his arms. "Could you just hold me please? That is all I need right now, to hear someone else's heart beat." Giles laid her head back down as he quietly sang to her. His mellow voice soothed her heart while she thought about her sister dieing so horribly. Buffy came to mind when she thought of what she daughter explained over the phone. How was she ever going to tell Rupert? Not only was he going to worry about Buffy, he would be heartbroken to learn about the Council.
"I'm sorry Rupert what brought you over here tonight?"
"Why I thought you already knew Joyce? I received a call from the Council regarding Buffy's death. The seers notified Quentin Travers early this evening. Now what had you so upset?"
Joyce felt the blood rush out her face. If the Council told Giles before anyone had positively ID the bodies yet. Buffy reassured her mother that hadn't occurred but would soon. It confirmed Buffy's suspicions and the Council ordered the hit. Now her little girl had to hide away until it was safe for her family to see her again.
"Oh no, my baby where was she how did she die?" Joyce ignored his question dramatically clutching his chest.
"There, there Joyce. I know Buffy wasn't my daughter but she was in my heart. I had a horrible time trying to gather myself to come and tell you this news. Perhaps we could lean on one another during this time of sorrow." Giles looked at her and saw pieces of Buffy. He saw a woman cared for strongly.
"Rupert I would like that. I don't know how I will tell Hank. He has always adored his little girl. This will break his heart in two." Joyce thought of Buffy telling about Angel being back. "It is so horrible what happened between her and that boy she loved. Now that I have had some time to look at it all I realize that Buffy truly loved him."
Giles looked at her in amazement since she was mirroring his same thoughts. "Joyce, I have to tell you that Angel is back somehow. I don't know how but he came to see me tonight and I told him about Buffy. The news devastated him. I'm afraid we were all wrong about their feelings."
Joyce felt better hearing the news. Now, she had to wait for Angel to come see her. Buffy said to keep an eye on him. If he didn't come to see her in a couple of days to go and see him at the old Crawford mansion. "Giles, would you tell him come visit see me. I would like to know more about him and Buffy?"
He kissed her gently. "Of course I will after school tomorrow but I am not leaving you alone tonight. Now, how about that cup of tea?"
She nodded smiling up at him. "That would be lovely." There that is settled. My baby will at least have him with her. It is only right after all.
The next day of school was horrendous for Giles. He told Buffy's friends. Willow collapsed and Oz drove her home. Xander walked out of school. He made his way over to Angel's mansion to deliver Joyce's message. Then he would go check on her. Giles knocked on the front door. When Angel didn't answer, he pushed the door open. "Angel" He hoped shouting would wake the vampire up or prevent Giles' startling him. No answer still, Giles began to walk around the mansion looking through all the rooms but no trace of Angel. When he found what could only be his bedroom, his shoulders sagged. Angel obviously left in a hurry. The news about Buffy must have been more than he could handle.
"Joyce, I'm sorry but his clothes were gone. It looked like he left in a hurry. I'm not sure how since it was daylight but I imagine there are always ways." He watched with surprise as her face crumpled. It made no sense to Giles, he knew she wanted to talk to Angel about Buffy but she acted as if she had lost another family member.
"That is all right Rupert. You tried and that is all any of us can do." How do I tell Buffy he just left? Damn him, if his connection was a strong as hers he should have tried harder to see if she really died. It is better she finds out now that he wasn't worth all of her pain.
Buffy felt the phone slip from her hand. Rachel picked it up and spoke to Joyce. They spoke on a secured line that no one could tap. Joyce didn't realize it but the Council bugged her phone. It led them to Buffy in the first place. Johnny sent someone to make sure mother and daughter could talk freely.
Buffy, Cammie and Rachel hid in Johnny's house in Connecticut. He treated Buffy as if she were his; they talked without speaking. When Max brought Buffy to Johnny's New York Penthouse, the two went into his private study and didn't come out for an hour. No one knew what they spoke of but ever since, they thought the same, like one mind working in two bodies. She could see why Lilly loved the handsome man and why she wouldn't marry him as well. But as far as she was concerned he was golden, he understood her and agreed with her plan. He knew a little about who and what Buffy's background from Lil. Buffy trusted the mobster with her secrets it made it easier for her.
"She will call you back later Mrs. Summers. I think it was just a shock for her with everything else. Yes, I will tell her. Yes it was nice talking to you too." Rachel hung up the phone then looked at Buffy.
It still surprised her at the changes only two days made in previously bright and sunny teen. Granted she had been through hell there was no doubt about that but this was different something more. It was a sense of betrayal at the deepest level was the best way that Rachel could describe it.
Buffy's once sparkling eyes were now hard; her back ramrod straight and an air of cool determination surrounded her. All of these mixed with her beauty, she took ones breath away. Rachel saw Johnny's men eyes follow Buffy. She was like honey to bees affecting any in her vicinity.
Unaware of the men or their looks, Buffy's had one goal and one goal only - revenge. Everyone overlooked her intelligence, at strategy and finding her opponent's weakness Buffy's intelligence soared. Knowing her enemy made it even better this time. Her enemy didn't lead to an unknown big bad or cryptic prophesy but to men. No just men, men who thought they had the right to choose who lived and died. They regarded her as a piece of property to discard as they saw fit. She swore she would never trust her heart to a man again ever. No one would ever control or hurt her again. She would protect what was hers and when they thought they were safe. Her body log dead and rotting in her grave she would return. You know what they say - It is a dish best served cold.
"Short," Rachel stopped at the look Buffy gave her. "I mean Buffy, what did your mother say that upset you so badly?" She looked at the girl, who only two months ago, she gave such a hard time.
"Nothing new for me Rach, something I thought was true and believed in with all my heart turned out to be just another lie. Listen, I want to talk to you and Cammie about something if you are up to it."
Rachel nodded "I will go get her be right back."
Buffy watched her go with a half-smile looking back out the window of Johnny's rolling lawn.
"Is there anything I can do for you Miss Summers?" A young man in his mid-twenties with dark good looks smiled at her.
"No thank you. I just need to speak to the girls in private."
He nodded leaving the room still hopeful to speak more than a few words with this beautiful woman.
Cammie and Rachel entered and found a seat. They waited for Buffy to talk. Somehow, within forty-eight hours, she became the one they looked rather than the opposite.
"I am going to open a new Coyote Ugly but not in New York. The people who killed Lil would come back if they find out I'm alive. I wanted to know if you would go with me." The girls responded without even a second thought. "Yes."
Buffy smiled at them. "What would you think about LA? I was born there. We could show all of those Hollywood snobs what a real bar is all about."
Cammie squealed jumping up to hug Buffy. "You think I will get a chance to see Brad Pitt?"
She returned the lively blonde's hug. "Stranger things have happened Cam, especially in LA. Max is coming with us. We won't be going for a little while. Johnny is scouting for a location. He will take care of the paperwork for me. The next question is do you two want to go back to town after the funeral or stay here with me?"
"I'm not leaving you so don't even ask," Rachel's chin went out stubbornly.
"I wasn't suggesting you go Rach. I just wanted you to know it would be a little while before we would leave for LA. You don't have to feel tied down out here like me. If you want to be in the city, I understand. I want you both to know you are still officially on the payroll, so don't worry about jobs. It will be easier if we can leave when we need to and no one is watching your schedule. The fewer new people in our lives right now the better." They nodded their heads knowing Buffy would take care of them.
Six months after leaving Sunnydale, Angel returned. He went to Ireland to where he had grown up and tried to lay Buffy's ghost to rest. She haunted his dreams every night, no matter what he did. He became a recluse once more until about a month ago. He woke up with a shooting pain then the strangest sense of peace he had ever known. Angel could only determine Buffy sent him a sign. He started working out again getting back in shape then headed back to continue the fight for her. Walking into the mansion after his long absence felt strange but right. Angel moved about lighting candles as he unloaded his luggage.
He went to Willie's to pick up some blood. Willie gave him with a warm welcome. "Angel, how are you doing? Just get back into town, where you been? You missed all the excitement around here."
Angel waited patiently for Willie to tell him the latest big news and true to his nature; he began to spill his guts. A new slayer showed up not long after Angel left. A real wild child according to the seedy snitch. Apparently, she caused all kinds of trouble at school and beat-up the principal. The new slayer broke up Xander and Cordelia when the cheerleader caught them doing it in the broom closet.
The real big news Willie spoke of though, Giles and Joyce eloped to Vegas about three months ago. The town had been fairly quiet except for Spike. He rolled through no more than a month ago and became pissed not finding Angel here for some reason.
Angel stopped by Buffy's house and saw Joyce and Giles sitting in front of the TV curled in each other's arms. He smiled that at least someone was happy. He knocked on the door and waited.
Joyce answered the door laughing over her shoulder but her face went blank when she saw him. "What do you want?"
Giles came to the door when he heard Joyce's tone. He couldn't ever remember hearing her speak that way to anyone. That Angel caused it surprised then perplexed him. Only six months ago, his leaving upset her terrible. "Hello Angel, when do you return?" Giles stepped outside since seeing Angel obviously upset Joyce.
"I just got back today. Willie told me about your marriage to Joyce. I knew I would find you here. If you need any help, I am available. Goodnight Giles." He turned to step off the porch.
"Wait, Angel, why did you leave?"
Angel turned back to look at him. "I had to I could still feel her. I had to try to learn how to live without her."
Joyce heard his words but her resolve didn't falter. She still hadn't told her own husband. Telling someone who didn't stay for longer than a day before he ran away - out of the question. She understood he was hurting but what if Buffy had died. He would have left before her funeral. Not just the fake service they gave that poor child, Lilly. Someday they would give her a proper headstone she would see to it. No, he didn't deserve any sympathy from her.
They were finally in LA; the new club had been renovated. Johnny bought Buffy a new house in the hills secluded and secure. He blushed when Buffy kissed his cheek and called him Uncle Johnny.
He hovered over her still worried; she had only been out of the hospital for a month but they had almost lost her. Her appendix ruptured going septic before they even knew it. In this instance, her Slayer healing worked against her. Buffy didn't even know that she was sick. No fever or pain, until she fainted in Johnny's arms and nothing could wake her. They rushed her to the hospital; the doctor said her heart quit beating on the operating table. The hospital still talked about how quickly she recovered.
Buffy understood his fear and allowed his hovering; she was his last link to Lil. She didn't mind and grown to love the older man much the same way she did Giles. Buffy didn't know that Johnny loved her just as much for herself as for her connection to Lil.
She unconsciously drew people to her. Once they knew her, they all seemed ready to die or kill for her. Buffy had become the darling of every single mafia kingpin from coast-to-coast. She met all of Johnny's West Coast associates within the first month of living at his house. When the ones from the East Coast started filtering in with all the negotiations for the club, Buffy met them as well.
She refused not to be in every meeting about the club or Lil. They all respected her guts and her mind. Several offered matches with single sons or grandsons, Buffy only laughed kissing their cheeks and telling them if she couldn't have them, she wouldn't settle for second stringers. Johnny feared there would be a war if any of them decided to take her up on her words.
The bar amazed the girls. It was an exact reproduction on the inside with some upgrades to fit into the LA scene. Buffy ran her hand over the polished wood of the thirty-foot bar. A huge sound system replaced the jukebox; it could play the songs the girls wanted with the touch of a button. The other change Buffy insisted on were some private tables in the back. If the bar took off these would be for VIPs.
They started interviewing girls soon after their arrival. Buffy didn't want to be in the limelight more than necessary because of the Council. That left Rachel for everyone to believe as the owner or at least the up-front person. Cammie wanted to keep dancing hoping to catch some star's eye. There would be no press allowed in the bar, Max would make sure of that. Her plans would be ruined if her picture ending up in the papers.
They expected to open in a little under a month. Tony Fuako, who nearly owned LA although most people didn't know it, would make sure enough celebs showed. There wouldn't be too many to make it suspicious but one or two big names and then a hand full of the young and comers.
Lately Buffy found herself getting restless. Her skin crawled from the need for something she just didn't know what. Leaving the club that evening, she heard a scuffle in the back. Picking up her purse, which now held a registered handgun, she made her way quietly towards the noise.
Peeking out the backdoor, Buffy saw several vampires attacking someone on the ground. Damnit I am not a slayer anymore. She punched her hand through a crate and grabbed up the makeshift stakes. Tucking one into her waistband, she moved quickly towards the vamps.
A stake pierced the back of the one closest to her; she smiled at the other two. "Hello can anyone play or is this a private party?" They looked at each other then smiled as they advanced on her forgetting their victim.
Buffy ducked a punch from one as she kicked out at the other. She spun back around with her stake out dusting the first causing the last one to decide to run. Buffy threw her stake at him before he took more than three steps. She heard a groan on the ground; bending down she turned the person over to see a large green-skinned demon with small red horns. Taking a step back as she pulled the stake from her back.
"Wow sweet stuff, I'm a lover not a fighter. Those palookas work for my boss. Madam Francine, the good madam doesn't like it when her employees want to leave her employment. Thanks a lot for saving my green hide pixie stix. My name is Lorne. What's your name honey bun?" Lorne got to his feet brushing off his bright yellow suit.
Buffy put out her hand liking the green demon despite herself. "Buffy Watson, I'm glad that I could help. Why won't she let you go and what do you do exactly?" Buffy waited for him to explain the vampires roughing him up.
"Well it's a demon brothel and I'm a singer there. I have been saving up to open my own club. I'm anagogic so I want to open a karaoke bar where people can sing and I can read their futures for them. You know use my gift to help people."
Buffy listened as an idea began to form in her mind. "Lorne if I could get the good madam to leave you alone. Would you consider working for me? I will open the club that you want. You can design it any way that you want. I won't interfere in the management. To everyone on the surface you will be the owner of the club with none of the headache associated with it. Later, after I get what I need out of it I will allow you to buy me out. We can have it all put down in writing."
Lorne looked at her closely. He could feel the sorrow and anger that surrounded her but there was something else about her. He trusted her looking into her eyes he knew that she meant everything that she said. "Sweet potato you have yourself a deal. I think this is going to be the start of a beautiful friendship."
She smiled up at him. "You know Lorne I think you just might be right."
Tonight was the grand opening everything had finally come together. They found six more girls to work the bar. It allowed them all to have a night off without being short. Buffy was nervous. Tonight was her first step towards her revenge it had to go right. She dressed in a pair of low-slung black jeans with a tiny black tank with Coyote Ugly in red letters.
It reminded her of when Lil when met her in the airport. Her right arm had the same armband and sunburst Lil had worn. Johnny took her to the same place Lil had hers done. They both cried when it healed showing the duplicate of Lil's.
"Okay girls show time." She walked down the hall to knock on Rachel then Cammie's door.
Max watched her walk down the stairs with a small smile on her lips. "Everything all right upstairs?"
"Yep right as rain. I must say Maxie my man you are looking ultra cool tonight. You better watch out one of those Hollywood starlets may try to steal you away from me."
He picked her up in a big bear hug. "You are a naughty little girl now scoot before I decide that you need a good swat."
Buffy gave him a big pout. "You wouldn't really now would you Maxie?" He wagged a finger at her.
"Scoot while I go get those other two moving."
Buffy laughed walking out to the limo outside. She slid into the car while Bobby held the door. He smiled at her. "You sure do look like Miss Lil tonight Miss Buffy. Johnny is going meet us there. He said that he would come in the back way so no one sees him."
Buffy shook her head at Johnny's stubbornness. His determination that no one outside the syndicate knew of any association between them. No papers could link them in anyway. Buffy told him she wasn't worried about it but he wouldn't listen to her.
The girls and Max finally got in the car and they were on their way. Buffy blew out the breath she had been holding. No one said a word as the traveled the twenty miles down the hill to the club. It took them roughly thirty minutes with the winding curves and traffic, which was always bad this time of day.
Everything was set up, the girls were ready and it was time to open the doors. Max reported a decent line of people already waiting to get inside. It seemed LA was always up for a new bar or club. When, they had been open for two hours, hey declared it a success. Colin Farrell, Cameron Diaz with Justin Timberlake showed up as well as several other young popular stars. Several photographers lined up outside but true to his word, none got past Max. Johnny only stayed for an hour. Buffy understood the bitter sweetness of their without Lil. They opened well now the true test could they keep the doors open and the bar crowded.
Buffy knew Johnny waited for her in the study when she arrived home that night. She pushed open the door and saw him looking out the windows over the back lawn. "Hey Uncle Johnny how was the rest of your night? Everything all right here?" Buffy stepped inside the comfortable room going over to hug him.
He kept her next to him his arm on her shoulder. "She would have been proud of you sweetheart. Lil would always tell me about you. The way she talked you would have thought she gave birth to you herself. She thought you hung the moon, Buffy. She loved you more than anything even me even that damned club. I used to be jealous of that place the way she wouldn't let go and just marry me. Somewhere along the way, I didn't care as long as she just kept on loving me. So how is the other place going is it going to be ready soon? It is nice to be able to open a business without all the red tape. Guess there had to be some perks to being a demon huh."
Buffy smiled at him then she pulled him over to the sofa. Sitting down she began to talk about Caritas, the name Lorne decided on for the club. She laughed when Johnny and the tall green demon had met for the first time. She never thought anything could scare him. Oh, he tried not to let it show but she heard his heart start to race. Seeing her so at ease with Lorne, he finally got himself under control.
They discussed the arrangements after Buffy made a quiet visit to the good madam. She decided that she no longer wanted Lorne as an employee, not if it brought a slayer as powerful as Buffy knocking on her door. Buffy told Madame Francine before leaving any problems in town, let Lorne know and she would take care of it. Walking away, she smiled that was easier than she thought moving another step forward.
They found a location for Lorne's club and it connected to hers by a tunnel. Tony helped her find the right place and then cleared the access into the Coyote. In the office hidden in a closet was a door to the tunnel. Lorne was excited and amazed how quickly it all came together. He told Buffy about the Furies. They could protect the club from fighting or harm.
She thought about it and wanted to discuss with Johnny. "Uncle Johnny, Lorne knows some, I guess you could call them, witches who can put a protection on Caritas. It ensures that none of the demons can fight. What do you think about having a custom-made protection put on the house and the Coyote? I'm not positive they can do what I have in mind but it wouldn't hurt to look into it."
The way her mind worked always amazed him. Just when he thought nothing she did would surprise him, she popped another one out of left field. "I think it's a good idea honey. Especially with the people that could come after you, if you go ahead with your plans. Are you sure that you want to do it this way? I can have all of them taken care of in one swat." Buffy shook her head. "No as long as there is a slayer on the Hellmouth and she is okay. We play it my way. Believe me at first, I wanted to. Once I stopped to think about it though it made me no better than them. What about ones like Giles? I mean good decent men trying to make a real difference in this world. No, it's the ones at the top; they are the problem, you know that. If you don't take care of the bad apples then they will infect everything else. I want to know for sure who was all involved in this decision. If it was just Travers like the lovely man so nicely said, then he will be the one punished. If it was all of them then so be it."
He remembered her interrogation of the man who set the bomb that killed Lil. Johnny thought he had seen a lot in his day, nothing prepared him for the sight of this tiny girl tearing a grown man apart with her bare hands. She pulled his head clean off his body. Buffy dropped it at her feet and walked away with Max's large figure following her.
They had talked over all of their plans then as they always did they spoke of Lil. Kissing him goodnight she made her way upstairs. She wondered about her mom and Giles. Buffy thought they made a sweet couple. Her mom kept her up-to-date on the goings-on of the Scoobies.
She missed Willow wishing she could talk to her best friend but Willow couldn't lie to save her own life. No, she would just have to wait until this was over then she would see them all again. All of them except, for him, as far as she was concerned she never wanted to see him again. Angel, she spat the name. What a liar. He had only ever loved one person in 245 years, bullshit. He could have stayed in hell Buffy thoughts went even darker. If they ever met, again he would wish that he were still there. Walking into her room she quietly took a shower then as had become her habit checked all the windows. Making sure that everything was safe. "Goodnight Lil I love you." Buffy crawled into bed. Snuggled in her arms was a small pink pig. Johnny found it to replace Mr. Gordo.
The Furies came to the house. The sisters and their willowy voices intrigued Max. They liked what they saw as well because they landed on him like white on rice. Buffy admitted the quiet man was attractive with his deep brown eyes and dark hair not to mention huge chest and shoulders. Topping out at 6'7'', he came by the name of Max honestly. She tried to keep her laughter in when the sisters began to let him know just how much they liked what they saw.
Buffy cleared her throat. "Ladies if you would please let my friend go. I believe we have some business to discuss."
They turned to look at Buffy floating over. They touched her hair, her face then above her heart. "Ooh sisters do you feel it? She is important to us, to us all. Yes, yes we will help, we will help." Buffy walked into the study, the furies floating after her. "Bye Max" they chimed as one.
After closing the door, she looked at them closely. "You know what I am and what I plan to do?" Her eyes blazed into theirs.
"We do, yes we do," they chorused. "For her for Lil."
Buffy paled then nodded. "Yes for Lil. Will you help me protect the people here and the ones at the club?"
The oldest sister floated forward until her wispy clothes brushed Buffy's arms. "You are sure of your path. It is a hard task that you have set for yourself slayer. Are you sure you are up to seeing it through no matter what obstacles are thrown in your way?"
"Yes I will do what I need to; to keep the ones that I love safe and to make sure they are never able to do this to anyone else."
The sister floated back as the middle sister floated forward. "What of him? Why do you not seek him out?"
Buffy's eyes became hard causing the sister to join the others quickly. "He lost his faith in me, in us. I felt the connection when he returned. If he loved me, the way he said. He would not have given in, given up. No I will not seek him out ever."
The youngest moved forward for her turn. "What of love slayer? Have you lost all that you had is there no more left inside you?" the littlest Fury asked.
"I have a lot of love for my family and friends. I am doing this as much for them as for Lil and I. So do not speak to me of love."
The sisters looked at one another then nodded. They swirled then shot through the house room to room. Doors flew open when they entered like a whirlwind only to fly out again. They entered Buffy's room last.
She watched from the hall as they spun faster and faster until they disappeared. Their voices echoed as one. "Be safe slayer. You and all that you love here in this home. May it protect and comfort you. We are here should you need us." With that, they were gone.
Looking around her room, she set Mr. Gordo back on the bed. Silently leaving to check on the others. She found them in the sunroom curled up on couches. All of their heads shot up as she entered. "Is the coast clear from the screaming meemies?" Rach asked with a laugh. Rachel learned some of Buffy's past from the time they spent at Johnny's. They didn't tell Cammie anything because she was already afraid of ghosts. They didn't want spook her for real with the rest of what was out there.
"Yep coast is clear. Ooh Max." Buffy giggled when he blushed.
"Those sisters were tasty little morsels Buffy. You got their phone number."
Buffy and Rachel burst out laughing. "Yes Max and they liked you too. We better get ready to go to the club soon."
The Coyote had remained a success, standing room only every night. Even now after four months, they turned people away at the door. Caritas opened as well putting Lorne on cloud nine. Buffy liked the demon bar; she would go check on things once she made sure everything was running smoothly at the Coyote.
That was where she met Doyle. Turns out, he got head splitting visions from the Powers. Buffy liked the Irishman and didn't care that he was half demon. She gave him a job at the bar and helped him out with his visions. She went to see Madam Francine when she heard some other demon was trying to take over her brothel. Buffy took care of the demon in a hurry and was now sitting with the good madam in her office.
"So slayer how have you been? Thank you so much for saving my business. What do I owe you?"
Buffy raised an eyebrow at that causing Francine to pale. "You don't owe me money I need two things one I will take now and the other I will take when the time is right." Francine had been a madam to the demon world for over 200 years and never met a human, like the girl in front of her. "I have a friend that suffers from terrible pain from visions that he receives from the Power. Lorne told me if there was a cure you would know where it was if you didn't' already have it. The other will be a favor I will ask of you in the future. It will not harm you or put you in danger in any way, I promise. I am going after the people responsible for someone's death and may find your help useful."
Realizing she wanted to help this girl for some unknown reason, Francine got up to remove a small green bottle. She handed it to Buffy. "Have him drink all of this after his next vision it will keep him from ever feeling the pain again. You are a strange one child. I have never known a slayer to help demons let a lone befriend them. What has happened in your life to make you so different?"
"I guess you can say I learned that all demons aren't bad and all humans aren't worth saving." Buffy smiled sadly walking away with a wave.
"Oh child someone has broken your heart badly. Maybe time will help it heal."