Disclaimer: How many times do I have to do it again? AtS & BtVS don't belong to me. Yadda, yadda...
Summary: AU. What if Angel had never met Buffy? What if he worked for/with (evil) W&H? And what's that got to with the Destroyer-prophecy?
Warning 1: This idea just wouldn't leave me alone and I had to get it out.
Warning 2: No beta since it's just a peek.
Distribution: Denial Haven.
Dedicated to: My stubborn muse because she wouldn't stop bugging me with this idea, Lucey- my wonderful twin, Lisa & Sarah because you begged for more.
It was well past midnight and the two girls were sitting on the patio of their favorite café, happily nibbling on cookie- dough- fudge-mint-chip. Leaning back in her chair, Buffy closed her eyes and savored the taste.
Her redheaded friend did the same. "I missed this." She sighed.
Buffy knew Willow wasn't talking about the sweets they consumed however heavenly they tasted. No, she was talking about their late night dates they had to cancel since Willow's boss got promoted three weeks ago.
"Me, too." Buffy took a deep breath which was laced with sadness. "Like the sun."
Some nights it really sucked to be half slayer and half vampire.
"Oh Buffy." Willow exclaimed in sympathy as they locked eyes again. "Do you still miss it that much?"
"Not as often as I used to."
"You know that the Senior Partner's right hand is a Master Vampire, do you?"
"Now I do." She replied with a cheeky grin.
"Smartass!" Willow admonished her playfully, then laughed.
"I aim to please."
"Anyway… because of him the windows on the upper floors are of necro-tempered glass, so he can soak up the sun without toasting."
"Really?" The ice-cream was forgotten by now.
The redheaded witch nodded in affirmation.
"You think he'd change places with me for a day?" The blonde asked hopefully.
"Not gonna happen. He's the firm's assassin."
"Bummer." She pouted. "Looks like the day I'll see the sun will be my last."
"It doesn't have to be..."
"You're right." Buffy cut her off, a mischievous gleam entering her eyes.
"No, Buffy! Don't!" Her friend warned. "This is not an invitation to do something stupid!"
She huffed. "Why are you telling me this then?"
"To give you something to look forward to? A reason to work with a little more… well, gusto?"
Buffy raised her eyebrows at the last word.
"I know this place is evil." Willow admitted. "But us being what we are I think we're better off working for them."
Her friend didn't look convinced.
"Did I tell you about the benefit of the sun?" She said, barely able to suppress a grin.
"You did, smartass, but how am I going to climb the ladder?"
"Well, is there anybody who could become your mentor? Anybody who likes you?"
"There's Drusilla, but she's insane." Buffy replied wryly.
That didn't help much or at all.
"Ok then, how about your skills?"
"I can file better than the half demon bitch Whordelia."
Willow giggled.
"There's something I never understood. She's been working for the firm longer than you, Will, and every male in that building must have boned her by now… well, except my boss, but I think he's gay… so why is she still there?"
The redhead laughed out loud, then put on her serious face. "You forget that there are always new… or should I say fresh colleagues, partners and clients."
"How true!" Now they laughed together.
"But rumor has it…" Willow continued. "She's staying because she's waiting for a prophecy to unfold even though she got several offers to become the mistress of some very powerful man."
"What prophecy could make her turn down offers like that? I mean in her position I'd rather serve one male than… I don't know… hundreds? But that doesn't mean I'd like to be a mistress!"
"I know." The witch smiled in understanding. "It's what I was thinking when I heard it. But apparently, this Master Vampire slash assassin is going to father a child. Not sire mind you and that boy is going to be the Destroyer. I'm not sure, though, if she wants to jump the boy, hoping she'll become his mistress or if she hopes she'll be his mother."
"Poor kid!" Buffy almost shouted. There was nothing scarier than the image of Cordelia as mother.
"Uh huh!"
"Wait! Vamps can't have kids!"
"I know, but Mr. Wyndam-Price translated it and he's THE expert on prophecies."
"Says who?" Buffy asked, suspecting that Willow had a crush.
"Mainly my boss, but I don't think that counts cause she has the hots for him, but there are lots of others on my floor who confirm it."
"Ok, let's say he's right… Imagine you're the son of a creature that normally can't have kids… that has to suck. And I thought I was a freak!"
"Looks like you're not number one anymore." The redhead stated.
"Thanks to whoever is in charge of fate." She giggled.
Nodding, the witch continued. "Anyway, my boss told me they've been trying for decades to get a female conceive the Master's child, but so far they haven't been successful, Whordelia included. And that brings me to my earlier warning. Don't get caught on this vampire's floor, ok? Any female that is not of his staff is fair game. I tell you this because some of them barely made it out alive."
"So why don't you tell me his name and what he looks like so I can avoid him?"
"This isn't funny, Buffy. I don't want you to get hurt, so I'm not going to tell you. You'll have to use the legal… " She coughed. "Way to get up to that floor and that's my last word."
"Party pooper." Buffy said with a twinkle in her eye that let Willow know she didn't mean it like that.
"Hey, who bought the medium sized portion to fight her melancholic mood?" She shot back.