Title: Freaked
Fandom: BtVS
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: Buffy, Angel.
Rating: PG
Word Count: 350
Spoilers: Surprise.
Summary: A nightmare about Drusilla killing Angel drives Buffy to her boyfriend’s door to check on him.
Written For: Challenge 314: Nightmare.
Disclaimer: I don’t own BtVS, or the characters; they belong to the great Joss Whedon.



Nightmares are nothing new to Buffy; she’s the Slayer and they go with the territory, often serving as premonitions of what’s to come.

She still has the regular kinds of dream, ridiculous nonsense like opening an office supply warehouse in Vegas. She even still has the kinds of nightmares every teenager suffer from, about forgetting homework, or having zits and really bad hair. They’re bad enough, but Slayer nightmares are on a whole other level, and this one…

She’s freaked, maybe worse that she ever has been before, because if it’s true, if Drusilla really is still alive, then Angel… God, she loves him so much! The thought of possibly losing him is like a knife to her heart, a knife made of ice that freezes her to the depths of her soul. She knows she won’t be able to free herself from the nightmare’s grip unless she sees for herself that her boyfriend is alive, or at least still undead.

Watching him crumble to dust right in front of her, revealing Drusilla, standing there smiling, stake in hand, and wishing her a Happy Birthday, is an image that’s gonna stay with her, maybe for the rest of her life, short as that might be. Things like that you don’t forget, but as she hammers on Angel’s door, as it opens to reveal him, tall and solid and there, the panicked pounding of her heart calms a little. The fear isn’t erased, nothing short of making sure Drusilla and Spike are gone for good will take it away entirely, but it’s reduced to a more bearable level.

Angel’s so sweet, worried for her but incredibly calming as he holds her close, reassures her, tells her even if Dru is alive they’ll deal, and when he kisses her every thought evaporates from her mind and all that’s left is Angel, and Angel’s strong arms around her, Angel’s vampire-cool lips against hers, Angel’s body pressed against her own, filling her with want, and need, and desire.

She has to keep him safe, no matter what it takes; without him she might die.


The End