Chapter 32: Phase One
"Why don't I just move into the apartment until he comes back?" My ward frowns at how much junk is already in the attic. "I don't think you really have room for everything. Ted was kind of a hoarder."
"Because you're a teenager."
And sorry to think this. "One I'm kind of responsible for now."
But you really don't have a good track record with decisions right now.
An intrigued glint flashes in Lorne's eyes while he holds the ladder down. "Well if the place looks any better than the basement, I could always keep an eye on the place. Especially if you're going to keep having a gaggle of teens over."
"You didn't have to hide from them all night," Fred reminds him with a smirk, climbing down the ladder first.
"I notice Allen didn't tell the kids about his demon half." Crimson eyes twinkle at me when I join the others in the hallway. "So until he does, I should probably keep laying low around any of you pink mammals."
What does that make you, a reptile?
Frowning as I think back, I realize awkwardly that Lorne was never introduced to anyone in the crew. "You do know we come in a few colours, don't you?"
"But you said that was just a prosthetic when I asked about Chubbs." Blinking in confusion, Lorne brings up his curiosity during movie night.
"I thought you meant his wooden hand," Admits a pink faced Fred when she catches on to the source of confusion.
With scarlet eyes shining as if he just solved the greatest mystery of the universe, Lorne strokes his chin. "No wonder all the demons want to come to Earth. You have all the flavours of people here."
The chime of the door bell startles me out of my chuckling fit.
Must be Willow here to play mad scientist.
"The kids at school are already talking about the show. Don't bother hiding, I'll just tell her we're helping you move."
And let the Jewish girl make her own assumption about you wearing makeup.
"Really?"
Lorne is almost vibrating at my easy acceptance of the idea.
"You're an adult..." That makes me pause, a curious expression being thrown over my shoulder at the empath demon. "Aren't you?"
I'm not actually sure what Lorne's life cycle is like, maybe he's really just a child.
I don't reach a conclusion by the time I open the front door, revealing Willow hasn't come alone. Xander and Jesse flank her.
"Hello?" Stepping aside so they can enter like I explained last night, the teens file into the living room.
"I thought you might like some help moving everything," Willow explains for the boys busy trying to act like it was all her idea. "I printed out the blueprints for the zoo already, so these knuckleheads don't need to waste time trying to draw a map for you."
Xander is aware his art skills are lacking. But the casual comment has Jesse looking hurt.
"Miss Perfect couldn't hack into the museum though. So Jon and Marcie are heading over with a camera right now."
The two friends exchange stuck out tongues, as I let them know the change in plan. With both guys very relieved the physical labour was only a terrible myth.
Fred gets an eager greeting from her study buddy Willow as she and Angel say hello. Only for Jesse to nearly squeal in excitement when he sees Lorne coming down the stairs.
"This is the friend you've been letting crash in the basement?" Rushing over to the green demon, Jesse starts pumping his hand with enthusiasm. "It is so nice to meet you Sir. I'm a huge fan!"
"How come Lorne gets Sir and I only get called Mister?" Trying to keep the whine out of my voice, I think I managed to succeed when Fred laughs.
"Because singers get babes," Xander explains as his friend asks for Lorne's autograph. "And Jesse's been listening every night."
"The show only started a couple weeks ago though?" How can Lorne already have people so invested in him?
Nodding fervently, Willow's answer sets my mind at ease. "And Jesse's already gone from tone deaf to bearable."
"Really?"
That's praise worthy I guess.
"Now girls wait until he starts talking before they decide to ignore my pal." Xander teases his friend and realizes he doesn't really have much reason to be here now. "Uh, do you still need help?"
"You want to help me steal a magic jacket tonight?"
Lance should be at the Bronze almost every night if his bragging around campus has any truth to it.
Doubting my claim, Xander tilts his head to one side. "What, does it keep you dry?"
"Probably better if you don't know."
Either you or Jesse will definitely try borrowing it once I'm finished. "Don't want to tempt you with it."
"Amy's been able to prove she has magical powers." The dark haired teen in Liam's clothing tries to phrase his disbelief carefully. "But vampires, werewolves, and demons? I'm not sure I really buy that nonsense."
Snorting at his claim, Fred stops her discussion with with Willow to point at the radio host. "That's not make up."
"Yeah right." Now thinking he's being screwed with, Xander asks Lorne for permission before running a finger along his flesh. His eyes go wide when no paint comes off and Lorne just smirks.
"Satisfied?" Lorne's tone isn't mean, just amused at the gaping face of Xander.
"I'm not exactly one hundred percent human myself." Knowing it's the kind of secret that would tear a group apart, I make this transformation my slowest one yet.
"Whoa..." Jesse gets over his shock first, his eyes roaming my barbed face with open curiosity. "You look so cool."
Wait, what? "Really?"
"Dude, you have a face full of spikes. That's metal as hell." The McNally snorts as if it's obvious, his short brown hair plastered to his brow from the already intense sun outside.
With it decided Lorne is the one moving instead of all the furniture, we get him and his radio gear moved by dinner time. The offer of pizza was more than enough to get the guys to stop grumbling and Jesse eventually gets that autograph once Lorne's settled into the apartment.
"No offence Allen. But I just need a place of my own to relax." Lorne tries to let me down easily once the last slice is gone. "Even in the basement, I couldn't stop picking up the girls' emotions."
"You trying to say something?" Glaring at the Pylean immigrant, Fred caught that I was excluded from the complaint.
"Just that all humans are a little bit psychic and you really project when dreaming." Lorne's explanation comes with a wince as he picks up on the annoyance in Fred. "The Brachen half muffles Allen so I can sleep."
A look of guilt flickers across my girlfriend's face. "Sorry Lorne. Thought you had already picked up on some Eathly misogyny."
"Are you kidding Winnie? Mr Prickle-Pants here is nothing but tumultuous emotions, you and Angel at least talk about what bothers you." Faking hurt, Lorne slaps a hand onto his left ass cheek. "Cross my and hope to die."
Jesse ends up being convinced to sing some Pearl Jam for the empath demon, his voice admittedly not terrible. But when I see Lorne's expression, it only reinforces my decision to save him from Darla.
"You really need to stop hitting on everything that moves." Lorne is careful not to say anything about a pulse. "It's going to be the death of you one day unless you can learn some self control."
Hearing his possible fate, Jesse decides to stay at the apartment for more answers. So while Fred and Willow take my car back to house, Xander and I walk over to the Bronze.
When I see a guy wearing clothes right out of the movie Grease, I lead the teen into the alley behind the club. The vampire is already in game face and is about to sink his fangs into one of my student's throat.
But when Xander bellows like a very brave man, I take the chance to shove my half a pool cue through the blood demon's back. The cloud of ash makes me sneeze and sends the girl running off before we can be recognized.
"Uh..." Trying not to hyperventilate, Xander forces himself to start breathing normally. "That just happened."
Rolling my eyes, I don't have the patience to keep all of the annoyance from my voice. "Told you about the vampires. That's why you lot should never go out after dark unless you're in a group."
It's no guarantee of safety. But it should at least make most fledges look for a meal somewhere else.
"But you didn't have to stalk out the alley, he was just going to kill her!" His face is white enough I'm starting to worry Xander might pass out. "Is the whole town infested with monsters?"
"Portal to hell is buried in the library."
And why I try to avoid the place. "And the Mayor has been planning to sacrifice your grad class for a century."
His jaw hangs low as I shatter his reality with terrifying facts. "Oh."
"Yeah." realizing the teen is close to breaking, I send him inside to keep watch for Lance. "Let me know when he's leaving so I can get ahead of the guy."
May as well take advantage of having such a scary second face. It's not like the kid will recognize me as a teacher, so I just need to do a snatch and grab.
Forced to lurk in the alley until well past midnight, I end up taking care of four more vampires while I wait. It's only when I start thinking Xander got caught up with his new look and the interest I'd seen sent his way during the day that he dashes out the side door.
"Lance and his buddies are walking the Cordettes home!"
Crap, that's more people than I was expecting.
"Which way are they going first?" Knowing it's pointless to waste time, I grab Xander by the shoulders and shake him back into coherence.
"You really think Cordelia would let anyone else go first?" The teen snorts and leads me towards the rich part of Sunnydale. "We can cut through Hammersmith Park, it's a shortcut!"
Impressed at how quickly he gets over his own panic and focuses on the matter at hand, I follow Xander's sprint through the park. "Just make sure the girls don't scatter!"
Don't want them getting picked off by any vampires just so I can steal the jacket.
Charging ahead of Xander, I let the spikes emerge as I catch sight of the distracted teens. Harmony and Aphrodisia are practically clinging to Lance, even with his horrible mullet his only real standout feature.
Shrieks of fear greet me as I slam into the shocked Lance Brooks, sending him tumbling to the ground in terror. His two friends on the baseball team aren't any braver and take off into the night with one of the rich girls.
Aura I think.
But once more I'm impressed by some of the teens. Even as I start tearing the Letterman jacket from the sobbing jock, Cordelia starts smacking me in the head with a very heavy purse.
It's not enough to hurt, only slow me down long enough for Xander to 'save' the day with a tackle. The force of it sends me rolling away with my prize in hand and I don't bother sticking around for the rest of the show.
"Harris?" The shocked gasp makes me peer over my shoulder just long enough to catch a stunned Cordelia Chase staring at her protector.
Not sure if she's more shocked Xander was brave or well dressed.
