Xander met his friend Paulie at the Panic Room. They had only been there thirty minutes when he saw her walk in with a long legged brunette. She was small with long blonde hair and golden skin. She wore a strapless tiger striped dress that showed off every perfect curve. There was something about her that made you notice her. Xander could tell that even from across the club. He started working his way towards her but fans kept stopping him. He finally made it to where he spotted her and she was nowhere in sight. Xander scanned the club and found her on the dance floor. She danced in the middle of what looked like ten guys but didn't even notice them. Her body moved to the beat of the music as she raised her hands and rocked her hips.
It was obvious the men surrounding her enjoyed the show; almost to a man, they had stopped dancing to watch the tiny dancer. Xander moved forward until he slipped between two of the men standing as if hypnotized.
Xander stopped for a moment as well fully understanding the full impact of being this close to her. She was mesmerizing with her head back, eyes closed as she danced. She looked more like a woman making love than dancing. He tried to swallow but his mouth went as dry as a desert, moving forward to fit his body behind hers and match her movements.
Buffy didn't stop dancing; she merely circled one arm around the neck of the body behind her. They moved to the music as if they danced together every night. Xander locked an arm around her small waist, pulling her closer to him. He leaned in to smell her perfume - vanilla. That surprised him, most women wore flowery crap. She wore something that made you want to lick every inch of her skin to see if it tasted as good as it smelled.
If it tastes as good as it looked, what, the hell, is she doing here alone? What man in his right mind would ever let a woman this beautiful, this tempting, go? Snap out of it, Cage, you don't even know her name.
The music stopped and his arms were suddenly empty. He looked for her everywhere and didn't see her. Xander started walking around the club again on a mission of his own. Finally, in a corner table there she was laughing with her friend, sipping on a drink. He walked up to her, stood by her chair and stood patiently until she turned to him.
Buffy felt him staring at her, then approach the table. She wasn't sure why she left the dance floor in such hurry but this man made her whole body tingle. She wasn't about to go down that road again, not now, maybe when she wasn't so damned pissed off at the world. Oh, she didn't mean she wouldn't date or not have sex. It would only be with guys she knew would never lead to anything. Yep, no more relationship crap for me. No Buffy, this is for your own good. Or my all-time fav: You don't need me enough, ha!
"Hello," Xander said with a sexy smile that showed his dimples to advantage.
"Hi," Buffy replied in a polite noncommittal tone.
"I'm Xander Cage." He extended his hand and Buffy reluctantly put her small one in his to shake but didn't give him her name.
"Nice to meet ya." When their hands met, Buffy felt tingles go all the way up her arm.
Xander could have sworn he'd been zapped. "You didn't tell me your name." His brown eyes twinkled at her.
Buffy took in his tanned skin, shaved head not to mention the muscles that bulged under a tight long sleeve shirt. She admitted he was a definite hottie. "I know." She smiled. This is fun. Buffy decided impulsively she wouldn't give her name to anyone. She was just a woman out for a night of fun.
"It is going to be that, huh? Can I buy you a drink?" Xander looked into a pair of the most expressive green eyes he had ever seen.
Before Buffy could comment, Debbie gasped. "I know you. You're Xander Cage. I mean they call you X, right? You do all those extreme videos. My old boyfriend got me hooked on them. When are you going to do another one? Oh, I'm Debbie Vernis, Buffy's neighbor."
The brunette smiled brightly even though Buffy glared at her. Then she shrugged, Debbie was sweet and overly excited. Buffy knew Debbie didn't do it on purpose.
"Buffy, huh, I like it. It suits you, somehow. Thanks Debbie, I'm glad you like my stuff. I should have something new out in the next month or so. Do you mind if I sit down?" Xander smiled at Debbie, causing her to blush.
"No, please join us. Buffy, I will have to show you some of his videos, they are awesome." The model wannabe thought this could be a big break if 'X' needed some women for his new video. Debbie crossed her fingers praying that Buffy would play nice.
"What do you girls do?" His eyes never left Buffy's face as she lowered her lashes and sipped her drink.
"I'm a model. Well, I'm trying to be. I've only done a few small jobs. You have to pay your dues, you know."
Buffy glanced up into Xander's dark eyes looking back at her. Since Angel, then Parker, she wasn't really attracted to dark eyes but Xander's were different. They held warmth and mischief, something she never associated with the other two men. Angel was caring and loving but never warm and certainly not mischievous. As if speaking of him caused him to appear, Buffy saw, Angel walk into the club.
Buffy sunk back further into the booth, partially hidden by Xander's much larger form. "Old boyfriend?" his eyebrow rose.
She nodded as she peeked over his shoulder then paled. Her eyes remained glued to Angel for a moment as she drank in the sight of him. He was heavier but still handsome. Tears formed in her eyes from the sight of the woman clinging to his arm, Cordelia. Buffy couldn't help but grin. It looked like Angel wasn't the only one that gained weight. She continued to look at the ex-queen of Sunnydale High from head to toe. Why, the hell, did she chop her hair off? That cut makes her face look like a chipmunk. Buffy watched Cordelia drag Angel out onto the dance floor. She couldn't watch anymore, she had to leave, now.
"I'm sorry; I have a big day tomorrow. New job and all. Debbie, I'll just get a taxi. You stay and have fun, maybe Xander will dance with you. He's a great dancer." Buffy smiled as she all but shoved him out of the booth.
Her strength shocked him. He stood, then held his hand out to help her to her feet. Buffy smiled gratefully accepting his hand. She bit the inside her mouth to ignore the tingles that shot through her fingers.
Angel's head shot up as the feeling that Buffy was near became stronger. He simply walked off the floor leaving Cordelia standing there alone. She looked around to see several people staring at her. She followed him off the floor making a huge show of fixing the strap on her shoe. Angel moved quickly towards the door. He saw a couple walking out, a small blonde and a much larger man with a shaved head. He made it to the exit where the door attendant made a big show of stamping his hand.
When he finally made it outside, Angel saw the man put the woman into a taxi. Her arm came up to pull him down for a kiss. The feeling that Buffy was near, the woman in that car was Buffy, were so strong the hairs on his neck stood straight out. As Angel watched, the woman kissed the man passionately then he stood and shut the door, then hit the roof and the cab took off.
Angel waited for the man to walk back into the club but he started towards the parking lot. Left with no other choice Angel went after him. "Excuse me," he called out.
Xander ignored him with a smile on his face. He knew Buffy kissed him to keep her ex from seeing her but he didn't care. What a kiss, no, what a woman. She didn't tell him her last name or number but she didn't realize he didn't need them. With her first name and a description and, of course his job connections, he could find her. He couldn't wait to see her face when he knocked on her door.
He felt a tap his shoulder putting an end to his daydreams. He turned around with a dark scowl. "Yeah."
Angel looked the man over now that they were face-to-face. It couldn't have been Buffy. She would never be attracted to a man like this. She went for farm boys or well me.
"Did you need something, man? I'm on my way home." Angel shook his head. "I thought I knew the girl you were with."
Xander stared at him with a hard glare. "Why are you asking about my woman? Have you two been fooling around behind my back? I thought she acted funny. Women, you can't trust 'em. You think after two years she would be settled down." He ranted and swung his arms for emphasis.
"I'm sorry, it was my mistake. The girl I know hasn't been in LA for years. Sorry to have bothered you, have a goodnight." Angel turned and walked away. He couldn't shake the feeling it was Buffy. Why can't I let her go? He dreamed of her almost every night even though he was seeing Cordelia.
It was easy being with Cordy, he knew his soul was safe. There wasn't any possibility of perfect happiness. That only came with one person - Buffy. He had only been with Cordy since a few weeks after coming back from the monastery. She stayed at the hotel since they worked so late. She woke him from a dream where he called out for Buffy. Cordy held him until he quit crying then she kissed him. She kept on kissing him until Angel responded to her lips and hands. As they made love when he found his release, he shouted Buffy's name. He apologized to Cordy afterwards but she told him that she understood. He never slept alone again. Now, he bit the inside his mouth to keep from saying her name again. He didn't want to hurt Cordy; she was too dear a friend for that.
Cordelia watched Angel as he stood in the parking lot with Buffy face. "Damn it, not again. What is it going to take you to see, you don't love her. You love me. Move on, move on to me. There is no way I am telling you that she is back now, not until you are completely mine. When I have erased her from your heart, then I'll tell you, maybe." She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him. "What's wrong, Angel, did you see a vamp?" Cordy put on her best concerned face.
"Uh, oh, Cordy. No, I just thought I saw something that needed to be checked out. I don't feel like dancing anymore. Do you mind if we just go back to the hotel?"
Home, moron, its home. You know where you live, sleep beside and fuck me every night. She smiled up at him. "Sure honey, let's go. I'm sure we can find something to do that is much more fun than dancing." Cordy pulled Angel along to the car. They climbed in but he didn't hold the door like normal.
When they arrived at the hotel, Angel disappeared inside but not to his room. Cordelia waited as long as she could, then finally fell asleep.
Gibbons gave Buffy directions to headquarters, then met her in the underground garage. He smiled at her as she climbed out of her SUV. He could see her already taking in her surroundings. Buffy pulled out a large duffel and walked over to where he waited for her.
"Hey Gibbons, brought some of my own toys. Hope its okay. Not sure what you guys use here but if it's any of the stuff I normally work with, I prefer to use my own."
He looked at the bag that looked like it weighed twice what Buffy did, and was almost as long as she was tall. "You have that many toys, Summers?"
Buffy grinned at him. "These are only my favorites. I have lots more at home." Her grin turned into a full-blown laugh when his eyes grew wide. "You ready to show me around?"
Gibbons escorted her into an elevator. They were in a large bank building on the ground floor parking level. After stepping in, Gibbons punched several buttons at one time then the fire alarm.
Buffy didn't hear any alarms so guessed it was a pass code. She waited in silence, something new for her, as the elevator moved downward. They stepped out on a large map on the floor. The words 'Ours to Protect. Ours to Serve' were written in gold and the United States carried the same dull sheen. The message was clear to anyone who stepped out of the elevators. What their duty was expected to be, first and foremost. Walking through the doors, Buffy thought it looked like something out of James Bond. Gibbons showed her data rooms, experiment rooms, debrief and weapons. The slayer in her stirred at the sight of all the different weapons. Buffy held her hands on the strap of her bag to keep from touching anything. She spied a mini rocket launcher and laughed.
"See something funny?" Gibbons saw the gleam in her eyes but didn't understand the laugh.
"I used a grown up version of one of these when I was a junior in high school."
He looked at her closely to make sure she wasn't teasing him. "High school, huh, come on, we might as well get started. Do you have any preferences?"
"What are you going to need me to do?"
"They want to know the levels of your strength, endurance, defense and weapons skill." He rolled off the testing they needed her to perform.
"Why don't we do endurance and strength as a warm up then defense? If there is enough time and no one is broken we can move on to weapons." Buffy thought of the break down and decided on the best approach. This way her body would be revved up for whatever weapons they wanted her to use.
"Summers, we have a week, you don't have to do everything in one day."
Buffy looked at him confused then her features cleared. "Gibbons, you are talking about my normal everyday routine, no biggie. Let's get this party started."
He escorted her into a gym where several people stood around with clipboards and wore white lab coats. "Everyone this is Buffy Summers, our newest agent. She is prepared to perform all physical testing today."
They all started to protest until he raised a hand. Complete silent met his gesture. "Wow, Gibbons that a cool trick. Can you make them do anything else?"
He gave her a hard stare that she gave right back to him. He wondered what he had gotten himself into. The only bright spot was anticipating XXX's meeting with this dynamo. Gibbons expected fireworks.
"I'll leave you in these capable hands." Gibbons walked back to his office to wait for XXX and watch the testing on closed circuit TV.
Roughly, an hour later, Xander knocked on Gibbons' door. He heard Gibbons bark 'Enter.' Strolling in, he noticed the strange look in Gibbons eyes. "Yo, Gibbons. I heard you wanted to see me ASAP. What's up, my brother?" Xander grinned at the look he received. He loved pissing off 'The Man.'
Gibbons drug his eyes away from the screen and gave Xander a bright smile, which made Xander very uneasy. This was so not good.
"XXX, nice of you to finally show up. Look, you're only an hour late. Your newest assignment is down in the responsive defense lab. Let's go take a look, shall we?" Gibbons got up without another word and walked past Xander out the door.
"What do you mean my new assignment? Why would my assignment be someone that is already here? You don't mean, no way, I work alone, no partners. I don't need one of your uptight soldier boys stepping on my heels. You know they aren't worth dick in the field. If they were, you wouldn't have come looking for me."
Ignoring XXX's outrage, Gibbons continued to walk towards the lab. Xander was right on his heels. They stopped outside the lab. Gibbons walked into the control booth and sat beside the technician whose fingers hovered over a keyboard. "Good morning, sir. You have to see this to believe it. There is only one level left and no one has ever gotten this far, certainly not blindfolded. After the first couple of levels the blindfold was requested, even with the increase in levels, the blindfold stayed on."
Xander was intrigued now. He had spent some time in the 'box.' While he made it to one of the higher levels, several agents could go higher but not blindfolded. No one has ever made it to the highest level. The lights were dim and all he could make out was a small shape in the middle of the room.
"Sit down, XXX, maybe you will learn something." Xander wondered who could be inside, especially that small and proficient. It had to be someone oriental, not to be prejudicial, quite the opposite. No one could do the things they could do in weaponless combat. He had admired them ever since he was a kid; Bruce Lee was his hero, even today. In fact watching his movies got Xander involved in martial arts, which then led to extreme sports. The lights came on and Xander felt his eyes bulge. It was her, Buffy. What the hell was she doing here?
He wanted to turn and ask Gibbons but couldn't seem to drag his eyes away from the sight of her. She wore black mid-thigh workout shorts with a matching tank that stopped just below her breasts. Xander's eyes wandered down her toned stomach to her hips and thighs, then back again. Her head leaned down towards her chest but every muscle was visibly alert to everything around.
"Okay, Gary, let's Rock 'N Roll, got any music? I can pretend this is jazzercise." Buffy's sunny voice chirped over the intercom.
"Sure, Summers, what's your pleasure? Hard, rock, pop, R&B? Name your poison."
"Do you have Def Leppard's 'Pour Some Sugar on me?'"
Gary looked through the play list on his screen. "Yep, you ready? Are you sure you want to do this blind?"
Buffy nodded and gave thumbs up. The heavy rock beat started to thrum through her body. She purposely asked for the distraction. It's when you have to fight to find your center, push your senses that they rush forward. She remembered all the fights she had with Giles until he finally let her show him what she could do.
Buffy stood in the center of a round room that had holes in the walls. They were scattered all around at different heights and spacing. A program shot tennis balls out at a random sequence. Each level increased the speed and shortened the delay between each ball. Buffy would try to block, dodge or catch balls flying at 60 mph with only a 5-second delay between each one. In the five-year history of the box, it had never been accomplished, certainly not blind.
Buffy's muscles prepared as her heart rate responded to the adrenaline flooding into her system. The program began as a ball from the uppermost corner shot out at her head. She stayed absolutely still as the ball raced closer. The men in the booth yelled for Buffy to move. She simply twisted the upper portion of her body, and the ball flew by, not even brushing her. She grinned to herself. Let the games begin.
The three men saw her smile and sat down to watch mesmerized by the tiny blonde dynamo. She flipped backwards as one shot out at her feet. She caught the next two, one in her hand and the other between her feet from a handstand. She seemed to be everywhere at once. They quit watching the balls and concentrated on trying to keep up with Buffy.
What happened next surprised them once again - the program malfunctioned. It shot the balls out two at a time. Buffy heard them coming from two different directions, so she did the only thing she could - jump. She pushed off the ground just as one ball followed right behind. It flew by where her head would have been. Buffy landed in a crouch, listening for the next ball.
"Shut it down, now." Gibbons yelled when he saw what was happening. Luckily, there was a panic button that killed all power to the machine. "You okay, Summers?"
Buffy pulled her blindfold off as she walked to the door. "Yeah, I think I pissed off your little toy."
Gibbons barked out a laugh. "Somehow, I think you're used to pissing things off."
Buffy gave him a breathtakingly beautiful smile. "It is my number one favorite thing to do." She walked through the door to pick up her towel. Wiping off her face, she heard a voice she wasn't expecting.
"It must be fate," Xander's deep voice rumbled.
Buffy's head shot up to see 'him' standing in front of her. "What are you doing here? Gibbons, get your ass out here now!"
Xander's eyebrows went up at her tone but his eyes went wide with shock when Gibbons walked out with an unsure expression on his face. He had never seen his boss with anything but steady assurance of what he was doing.
"What is he doing here?" She pointed at Xander accusingly.
"This is XXX, one of our top agents. He is going to be working with you on weapons. Is there a problem?" He watched sparks shoot from Buffy's eyes at him.
"No, not a problem. None at all. What kind of weapons do I get to use, swords, staff, and knife?" A feral light lit Buffy's eyes. She had to get this man off her scent. Maybe she could beat him off, literally.
"Well, we don't normally get many situations that require swords but knives are of course used quite frequently. Today we want to see how well you use a gun. XXX is very accurate with one, and will be your instructor, then he will take you through some Sims." Gibbons watched her face lose all expression except her eyes. He couldn't read what was there. She was an enigma, which was an unusual situation for him. One of his strengths was being able to read people but this small woman-child changed every other minute. He only thanked his lucky stars she was on their side.
"Lead on, McDuff, which way to the shooting gallery? I have to say I'm disappointed. I was looking forward to giving, XXX, was it?" Her brow quirked at the name. "A nice little scratch to remember me by." Her pretty pink lips pouted.
"Babe, I doubt there is a man alive that could ever forget you." Xander moved closer to her as they walked down a long hall.
"You would be surprised. I seem to be quite forgettable," she said in a whisper.
Her jaw snapped shut as she walked keeping her eyes on Gibbons' back ignoring the man beside her. Well at least she tried to, she found herself glancing at him underneath her lashes. He kept looking over, trying to catch her eye but no such luck. They walked into the shooting gallery, where dozens of different types of guns hung on the wall.
"Summers, do you have any experience with anything you see in here?"
"Nope, other than a rocket launcher, haven't ever needed a gun. Just feet and fist or swords, knives, and that kind of thing. Which one do we start with or are they all alike?" She looked over the guns in all different shapes and sizes.
"Not exactly, each ones mechanics are the same but as far as firepower they differ by caliber. Normally, the higher the caliber, the more firepower but they are also harder to fire accurately."
Buffy nodded her head as she absorbed the information. "Look, lets make this easy. If the bigger ones are harder to shoot accurately, those are the ones I want to shoot." They looked at her and tried to understand her logic. Buffy sighed, "If I can shoot them accurately, then it only seems right that everything underneath it I can as well. I can eliminate all of those right away."
"I don't think anyone ever looked at it like that before. Everyone chooses a weapon to become proficient at," Xander told her.
"Nope, that ain't the way to go. What happens if the only gun you have available is way bigger than what you normally shoot? Aren't you like screwing the pooch, if you can't hit what you aim at?" Buffy watched them process her words. "So, give me something, show me how it works and what I'm supposed to shoot."
"You mean to tell me that you are going to shoot the gun with the biggest firepower without even testing it out first?" Xander asked her surprise and doubt written on his face.
"Look, if you don't want to show me, fine. There aren't too many weapons I can't figure out, so either put up or shut up."