{"id":10469,"date":"2016-11-14T12:34:13","date_gmt":"2016-11-14T12:34:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/?p=10469"},"modified":"2016-11-14T14:59:28","modified_gmt":"2016-11-14T14:59:28","slug":"season-of-solace-131-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/goteamfiction.com\/index.php\/2016\/11\/14\/season-of-solace-131-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Season of Solace. 131-2"},"content":{"rendered":"
131: The Cafeteria, Sunnydale High School, Southeast Sunnydale<\/strong><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n

Lunchtime was a messy mix of teenagers, gossip, hunger and hormones, but this was the normal part of their world. The parts where headless corpses were found in the freezer and the lunch lady served up the mystery meal of the day were a couple of exceptions. Buffy, Xander, Willow and Oz sat together at one table trying to bring Oz up to speed on everything that had happened.<\/p>\n

Looking upset that he had not been around to offer help, Oz told them, \u201cThe band is booked pretty solidly over the next few weeks. I don\u2019t know how much I\u2019ll be around for research. Willow, you should definitely call me if you guys ever need the van. Or a werewolf,\u201d he added wryly.<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Oz,\u201d Willow squeezed his hand conveying her gratitude. \u201cMaybe it\u2019s better if you don\u2019t get involved.\u201d<\/p>\n

Oz\u2019 expression didn\u2019t change as he calmly pointed out, \u201cYou\u2019re involved.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAwww! That\u2019s so sweet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Watching Willow hug her boyfriend and plant a mushy kiss on his cheek, Buffy felt a big void in her heart. She thought about the way Angel had comforted Cordelia after Giles\u2019 big announcement and remembered the gentle strength of those arms. It just wasn\u2019t fair that Angel should be so wrapped up about Cordelia Chase.<\/p>\n

Every time she thought about the way she had forced them to patrol together, expecting they would drive each other insane, it made her a little crazy instead. Now Angel was acting differently and Buffy suspected his relationship with Cordy was to blame. Look at the way he had attacked Faith.<\/p>\n

He was protective. Okay, so that was not a bad quality in a boyfriend. Still, there were times when Angel reminded her more of Angelus\u2019 possessive, obsessive side. Heaven help anyone who threatened to sneeze in Cordelia\u2019s direction because he acted like he might take off their head for it.<\/p>\n

He was verbal. Chatty, much? That was so Cordelia\u2019s influence. Angel had always been the strong silent type. Buffy was not used to him having opinions\u2014 unless he had them all along and she just was not listening.<\/p>\n

He was totally in command. Bossy. Ordering everyone around like he was the one in charge. She should talk to Giles. It might be Angel\u2019s mansion, but he invited Spike and Drusilla for cripes sake. No way was she ever going to trust those two. Imagine working with Spike to save the world. As if.<\/p>\n

Lately, Angel just rubbed her the wrong way.<\/p>\n

\u201cHot enough?\u201d The question startled her out of her Angel-fogged thoughts.<\/p>\n

He was definitely hot. Oh yeah. Nothing had changed there.<\/p>\n

Buffy blinked slowly into focus as she realized the voice was not asking about Angel\u2019s hotness. \u201cWh-what?\u201d<\/p>\n

Sitting next to her, Xander asked again, \u201cIs your food still hot? You keep pushing it around on your plate.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFood\u2026right.\u201d Buffy gulped down several bites in a few seconds. \u201cMmmm.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou scare me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Xander returned to the conversation they had been having with Oz when he had noticed that Buffy had zoned out. He lifted a spoonful of green Jell-O to demonstrate what would happen to them if Amolon managed to make it to Earth.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is us.\u201d He wiggled the Jell-O around on the spoon. Turning it at an angle, with the green dessert hanging precariously to the side of the spoon, he prepared for a quick demonstration of Amolon\u2019s power.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is us after the Big Bad shows up.\u201d Xander bent the spoon back like a catapult. Aiming for a nearby column, he let the Jell-O fly expecting that Oz would be suitably impressed with the splattitude and his use of visual aids.<\/p>\n

The wiggly green blob arced through the air.<\/p>\n

At the very same moment Principal Snyder stepped up to their table intercepting the Jell-O with his otherwise spotless grey suit. Infuriated, he roared, \u201cXander Harris!\u201d as they watched the green Jell-O rebound off his lapel and plummet onto his shoe.<\/p>\n

In frozen tableau, they watched as the principle\u2019s mouth moved, as his face turned beet red, and the few hairs remaining on the top of his head stood up as if electrified by his fury. The whole cafeteria stopped to listen. More gossip fodder? Noting that it was just Xander Harris up to his usual lowbrow hijinks, they turned their attention back to their own conversations.<\/p>\n

\u201cDetention, Mr. Harris,\u201d Snyder doled out the punishment that included scrubbing the graffiti found earlier that day on the school grounds. It did not matter that he was not responsible for it. He would clean it anyway.<\/p>\n

Xander gulped and sank down into his chair.<\/p>\n

Leaning down to speak to Buffy, Snyder added, \u201cI wasn\u2019t able to trace the Chem Lab heist to you, Summers, but I\u2019m not about to let you walk away scot-free.\u201d His beady gaze circled the table pausing over each of them. A satisfied little smirk tightened his mouth. \u201cDetention for all of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Scene 132<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Basement, Crawford Street Mansion, Central Sunnydale<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n

Spike opened the basement door and saw Cordelia and Angel going through some Tai Chi moves. \u201cSo this is where you two get down and dirty.\u201d<\/p>\n

He took a seat on the top step and lit up a cigarette, pocketing his flip-top lighter.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor your information, we\u2019ve been training.\u201d Cordelia continued the cooling down exercises.<\/p>\n

Talking did not distract her from matching Angel\u2019s moves exactly. Her cheerleading drills had instilled a sense of timing, an innate physical memory. Dressed in a tight little outfit that showed every curve, Spike had more to admire than just the way she moved.<\/p>\n

No wonder Peaches had dumped the slayer. For the first time since being tortured, Spike felt his cock twitch to life. The wood was a good sign his body was almost recovered. That bloody bitch had weakened him so much he could not even get hard. Isobel was going to pay for that, too.<\/p>\n

The swill the watchers were feeding him certainly did not help. Pig blood. Swine. How the bloody hell did Angel survive on that bland stuff? What he would not give for a mouthful of hot, red blood fresh from a ripe woman. The one right in front of him caused his thoughts to shift in a dangerous direction.<\/p>\n

If Angel even suspected that he was imagining what it would be like to sink his fangs into his lover\u2019s beautiful neck, Spike knew he would have his bollocks for it. Though Angel had already warned him to stay away from Cordy, he noticed that she was not marked in any way. There was no visible claim.<\/p>\n

Spike was not stupid enough to go there. If Angel was dumb enough to let his girl go around without his mark, then that was his problem.<\/p>\n

Taking a quick drag, he held the warm smoke in his dead lungs until it burned and then blew it out. \u201cDo you really think Lover Boy will let you anywhere near a fight, pet?\u201d<\/p>\n

It did not take a verbal reply for Angel to get his point across. One look told Spike he had better mind his own business. Not that it had any effect. Bloody boring, that.<\/p>\n

Cordelia stopped mid motion and turned toward the stairs again. Her skin was shiny and beaded with perspiration. A wet spot had gathered between her breasts drawing Spike\u2019s gaze for an instant before he hastily turned his attention back to her face.<\/p>\n

\u201cI make my own decisions, Blondie,\u201d she crossed her arms defiantly. \u201cMaybe I don\u2019t have natural slaying skills, but I have as much right as anyone else to defend myself and my friends. Angel knows that. Don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

The pause before he answered lasted a second too long for Cordelia\u2019s liking. Spike had to chuckle over the outrage on her face. \u201cRight,\u201d he glared at Spike over Cordy\u2019s shoulder. \u201cAbsolutely. When and if there is an attack on the mansion, you\u2019ll be ready for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I want to patrol with you again,\u201d Cordelia turned around to face Angel. \u201cThat\u2019s what this training is all about. We’re Team Chase. Nothing can stop us. I\u2019m tired of being cooped up like some pathetic little princess in an ivory tower.\u201d<\/p>\n

Angel visibly struggled for a response. Looking pained about it, he finally said, \u201cYou can\u2019t put yourself at risk that way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat? It\u2019s my life. Do you know how long it has been since I\u2019ve been to the Bronze? And I\u2019m not even asking for that. If I want to go out, then I\u2019m going out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe hell you are.\u201d<\/p>\n

Icily, Cordelia said, \u201cExcuse me?\u201d<\/p>\n

Oh, ho! Looks like trouble in paradise, thought Spike, biting back a laugh and taking that as his cue to leave. His fag had burned down low so the glowing ash hung at the end. A flick sent it to the top step where he stood and stomped it out with his boot.<\/p>\n

Angel argued, \u201cThe mansion is the safest place you can be right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cordelia argued right back. \u201cYour smarmy friend can walk around in sunlight. He might show up here anytime. Who\u2019s to say he can\u2019t just come through the front door invite or no invite?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCordy, for once will you listen to what I\u2019m\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

Spike closed the basement door behind him, blocking out the sounds of the conflict below and went to find Drusilla for a shag.<\/p>\n

Scene 133<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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