dragonyphoenix

Summary: Rewrite of season 1 with Giles as the Big Bad.
Master List for In a Corner of My Soul (previous chapters / scenes)

As Willow glanced around the Bronze for a table, she felt, well, not afraid exactly because Buffy was standing right next to her, but it was scarier here after hearing Giles' lecture on Angelus' evil ways and also because Buffy had almost died here, and how could Buffy have let Angelus just walk away anyway? “Is it usually this dark?”

“I don't know.” Buffy seemed distracted but maybe, being back at the scene of the crime so to speak, she was starting to see Angelus for the big evil that he truly was. “Oh, look, there's a table.”

They sat and it didn't seem like Buffy was going to start the conversation so maybe it was time to convince her that Angelus really was a big bad. But how? Buffy already knew he was a vampire which meant that evil pretty much should be a given. “So, have you heard from, uh, him?”

“Angel?” Buffy said with a shrug. “No, but I don't know that I expect to. I mean, he's mystery guy, only showing up when there's danger.”

Sure, because he'd be bringing the danger with him, except that he hadn't, not with that Harvest or with that fork-for-hands vampire or with that Anointed One prophecy. No, she had to think clearly. Giles had said that Angelus was evil and he'd given more than enough, ugh, gruesome evidence. “Are you sure you want to see him? I mean, he is a vampire and they do tend to be, well, evil, uh, sort of.” Buffy looked hurt. Oh, God, she was the worst friend ever!

“It's not like that. He could have killed me plenty of times and, anyway, he did save Giles.”

“But.” No, if she pushed then Buffy would look even more hurt.

“But what, Willow?”

“Nothing.”

“Spit it out.”

“But Mr. Giles told us … Well, there were lots of stories and stuff, I mean not stories but history, history and evidence. There was plenty of evidence. That bit with the puppy alone …” She shuddered and wished she hadn't. You didn't see Buffy shuddering at the big bad evil.

“Angel's not like that anymore.”

“But, how can you be sure because, correct me if I'm wrong, but how many vampires join the side of good?”

“Willow,” Buffy snapped. She stared for a moment and then sighed. “He's got his soul now, okay. There was this whole gypsy curse deal and he's not evil anymore and, anyway, I don't know how to explain it but I just feel that he's okay. I trust him.”

God, she was the worst friend ever, doubting Buffy! “Then I trust him too.”

“You don't have to.”

“No, but I do. I mean, if you trust him, well, you have those Slayer senses so you probably have a good reason to trust him but no real way of explaining it, so it makes sense that you trust him but can't explain why. So, I trust him too.”

You'd have thought that agreeing would have made it less awkward but they just sat there, neither of them with anything to say, until Xander popped up out of nowhere, drumming his hands on the table. “Ah, the post-fumigation party.”

“Okay, what's the difference between this and the pre-fumigation party?” Buffy didn't seem completely interested but at least she was trying.

“Much hardier cockroaches.”

Buffy grinned at Xander's joke. Oh, good, it was going to be okay except there was Angel, lurking in the shadows. See, and that's why she thought Giles was right. Angelus was all shadow-lurking except that all of the Bronze seemed like one big shadow so maybe he couldn't help it.

“Your Mom's okay?” Xander asked.

“Yep, home safe and sound. I even made tea with lots of honey for her throat.”

Should she tell Buffy that Angel was there? She probably should but what if Giles was right? Maybe it'd be better to say nothing and just pretend she hadn't seen him.

“Oh, who invited the evil undead?” Or Xander could bring it up.

“Angel?” Buffy turned so fast her hair whipped behind her to catch up.

“What just happened?” Xander asked as Buffy ran up to Angel. “I thought there was a consensus: vamps evil.”

“Buffy doesn't think that Angel is, evil I mean.”

“So we're just letting her walk over and chat with him now?”

“Well, maybe she's right. She is the Slayer. She might have a better sense of these things than we do.”

“Willow, I thought you got it, or do you not remember Giles' big speech on the rapes, torture, dismemberment, …”

“I know! I know.” Willow couldn't stand to see Xander look at her that way. She stared at Buffy who was still talking with Angelus. “It's just, when Giles says all that, I agree with him, but then Buffy says that she trusts him and, well, I agree with her. My mind's like one of those balls at the end of a string of elastic, being paddled back and forth.”

“I'll make it simple. Vamps evil. Angel is a vamp. Therefore, Angel should be dust.”

“But Giles says one thing and Buffy says another, and I can't choose between them.”

“Hey, what am I? Chopped liver?”

“Shh. Buffy's coming back.”

Xander started in on Buffy before Willow could think of what to say. “So, consorting with the enemy, how's that working out for you?”

Buffy's chair flew back with a loud screech. “Saved Giles' life.”

As Buffy stormed off, Willow called after. “Where are you going?”

“Sorry, Willow, but I need to bail. Mom's alone. After that whole hospital thing, I should be with her.”

Willow watched as Buffy dodged through the crowd. “Good job, Xander. Straight out attack. Great way to convince her.”

“Oh, and being all wishy-washy – maybe Giles is right, maybe Buffy is – that's so convincing.”

Willow rose to her feet, making a lot less noise with her chair. “I'm going to see if Buffy will walk me home. There's a lot of scary things out there.”

“Yeah,” Xander muttered. “And one of them goes by Angel.”