Angel and Jarod hurried back to the boardwalk. After several minutes of searching for Buffy and Parker they came up empty handed. "That's strange, they should be right along here." Angel frowned.

"We've walked the entire boardwalk. Where could they have gone?" Jarod peered inside of a closed shop.

"We'll walk back to the hotel." Angel said still frowning.

As they walked they went by the alley, out of the corner of Angel's eye he saw an object lying on the ground. He stopped and Jarod followed him into the alley as he picked up Buffy's discarded stake. "Something is wrong." He told Jarod worry evident in his voice.

"Do you think the vampires have them?" Jarod asked not wanting to hear the answer.

"I hope not." Angel replied as he headed back toward the cave. He was afraid that he was wrong.

Jarod quickly caught up him. "Angel..wait!"

The vampire turned around and faced the pretender.

"Then why are you are heading back to the cave if you think...."

"Jarod...."

"Mmm." He realized that Angel was telling him what he didn't want to hear. "I thought so. Let's go." Jarod got ahead of Angel.

"Jarod, wait for me." Angel and Jarod walked in the cave slowly. Angel pointed in one direction for Jarod to go. As they got deeper in the cave they could hear voices.

******

"We have the Slayer." A deep voice came from the cave. "What a nice change of events."

"What are you going to do with her?" Asked another voice.

The deep voice spoke again. "Slayer's blood is strong. We can keep her to snack on with the others. Chain up these two with the others. Make sure the Slayer is double chained."

"They are keeping these people to feed off of." Angel explained to Jarod. "They probably kill them when they are too weak to feed from."

"What do we do?" Jarod asked Angel.

"We find where they are keeping them and we go in and we save the day." Angel told him as he pulled stakes from his jacket and handed two to Jarod. "Follow me and be quiet."

As Angel peered around the corner he scoped out the cave. The two vampires discussing the Slayer seemed to be the only ones in the cave. He watched as one herded a handcuffed Buffy and Parker out to another part of the cave.

"We can take the one that's left and then go after the others." Angel ran into the open part of the cave, Jarod following.

The vampire turned around surprised at the attack. He punched Angel in the face. Angel reeled backwards and hit the wall. He watched dazed as Jarod staked the vampire. Jarod stood with a look of shock on his face as he watched the dust settle on the cave floor.

******

Miss Parker glanced at Buffy chained next to her. "I have an idea." She whispered as she began to manipulate her thumb to get out of the cuffs.

"What is it?" Buffy whispered back.

"I have this neat little trick." Miss Parker grinned as she showed Buffy her now free hand.

"Now we just need a key." Buffy looked across the room at the guard, silver keys dangled from his belt loop. "Let's call him over here."

Parker gave her a look but called the guard anyway. "Hey you with the bumpy forehead, get your ugly ass over here."

Buffy shook her head. "Yeah that did it."

The vampire walked towards them with a scowl.

"You aren't in any position to be making demands." He stepped closer to Miss Parker and ran a dirty hand over her cheek.

Buffy whipped her legs around his waist in a death grip. He struggled as Buffy called. "KEYS!"

Miss Parker took advantage of the situation and with her free hand unclipped the keys from the struggling vampire. Buffy held him tightly as Parker freed her other hand and clasped the cuff around the vamp's wrist.

She then went to Buffy and quickly undid her cuffs releasing the Slayer. They made their way into the adjoining room and started releasing other victims warning them to please stay quiet.

They found a back entrance to the cave and sent everyone out into the sunlight. Buffy turned and went back into the cave.

"What do you think you're doing?" Parker asked her with a frown.

"My job. I slay vampires." Buffy smiled at her as she went back into the cave.

"Damn." Miss Parker muttered as she followed the small blond back into the cave.

*******

Jarod and Angel made their way to the back of cave they heard the sounds of a major fight. As they entered the room to find Buffy kicking and punching in every direction as Miss Parker found a plank and began swinging at anything that came near her.

Buffy noticed Angel first. "You decided to show?" She grinned at him as he tossed her a stake.

"Why are you here?" Miss Parker asked as Jarod tossed her another stake.

"I came to save the day." He grinned at her.

"We were doing just fine." Miss Parker gritted her teeth at him as a vampire shoved her hard. When she looked up, Jarod was grinning, his stake in hand as vampire dust settled in her hair and on her leather jacket.

"That better not stain." She complained.

"It doesn't." Jarod told her as he offered her his hand.

"Just because you did that doesn't give you touching rights." She stood up.

Jarod sighed. "You're welcome, Miss Parker."

Buffy and Angel were busy disposing of the other vampires.

"So where are the rest of the victims?" Angel asked as the dust settled.

"We've already let them go." Buffy stood on tiptoes and kissed his cheek.

He pulled her close to him. "I was worried about you."

Jarod and Miss Parker watched the unusual couple as they held hands and whispered to each other. Miss Parker noted the look on Jarod's face. "Don't think about it, Rat boy."

Jarod shook his head at her. "Forget looking for that lost little girl, Parker. I think you successfully exorcised her." He stomped away leaving her without time to reply.

'Wait nobody stomps away from me.' She thought angrily as she caught up with him. "What does that mean? I'm some kind of bitch cause I don't get all googley eyed like those two?" She nodded towards Buffy and Angel who seemed to have finally taken a breather from their lip lock to notice the other two people in the cave.

Buffy had the decency to look embarrassed. "Sorry, Jarod. We just..."

"Don't apologize, Buffy. Normal people are glad to be affectionate with someone they care about." Jarod glared at Miss Parker as he walked away.

"You didn't answer me." She called angrily.

He kept walking.

Buffy and Angel looked at each other. "Is there something going on there?" Buffy asked as they walked behind the other not so happy uncouple.

"I think he loves her, but he's scared and I don't think she's ready to accept it." Angel whispered.

Buffy sighed seriously. "I really feel sorry for him."

"I know it's tough not being able to express your feelings to the one you love."

"That too, but I was thinking that the only obstacle I had to face was loving a vampire - poor Jarod he has to face *her*." Buffy shuddered.

"Buffy!" Angel gently admonished her.

"What?" She grinned at him then shook her head. "Okay what's the plan?"

"I was just thinking that we should have a going away dinner with them as a thank you for their help and maybe I could give Jarod some pointers and maybe you could talk to her." He said the last part very softly.

"Haven't I faced enough hell beasts?" She asked him with a sigh.

"Buffy!"

"Okay. Fine I'll do it." She took his hand again and they caught up to Jarod and Miss Parker.

"Hey, we want to treat you two to dinner for all the help." Angel smiled.

"That's nice, thank you." Jarod answered politely then looked at Miss Parker.

"Fine, I'll go as long as I'm not on the menu." She looked pointedly at Angel.

"Yeah like he would want you. What a case of indigestion that would be." Buffy muttered under her breath so that only Angel could hear her.

Angel gave his girlfriend's hand a tight squeeze. She smiled at Miss Parker and said sweetly, "We'll let you choose the restaurant. Just let us know, I've got to go shower all of this dust off of me."

"Yeah can't be good for your complexion, probably ages you." Miss Parker answered. Jarod nudged her.

*****

"Are you done yet?" Angel called to Buffy, "I need to shower too."

"Hey I offered to let you come in with me." She giggled from the bathroom.

"I had to call Giles and fill him in and if we had gone in together we would have never made it to dinner." He kissed her cheek as he went into the now free bathroom.

*****

"So I guess you think I should be nice tonight?" Miss Parker asked Jarod as she put on her shoes.

He didn't answer her.

"I mean just cause they helped on this - it's not like I owe them." She continued her tirade as Jarod flipped through the television stations from his place on the bed.

"Are YOU ever going to talk to me again?" She yelled as she looked for her brush.

"Would it bother you if I didn't?" He finally answered.

"Well, no not really." She replied smartly.

"Then NO." He stood to go change his clothes.

"I mean it is childish to not speak to someone, I would have thought a genius was above that petty behavior." She furiously brushed her hair not looking at him.

He grinned to himself. "I guess you haven't cornered the market on petty behavior yet."

"Just get dressed so we can get this night of horrors over with." She griped as she watched him go into the bathroom

The restaurant was crowded as the two couples made their way to their table for a late dinner.

The waiter showed up shortly with menus and a wine list. "Wine?" He asked.

Parker smiled at him and nodded at Angel. "He never drinks......wine."

Angel stared at her with a grin of amusement. Buffy said something that Angel decided must have been *witch* under her breath, he refused to think about what else it could have been.

"Wine is fine." Angel smiled at the others. "Red or white?"

White was decided on by everyone and the waiter left them to look at the menus. Soft music began to play and several people stood to dance. Angel could feel Buffy's feet tapping under the table. "Do you want to dance?" He asked her and she nodded happily. He stood and took her hand leading her to the dance floor. He looked over his shoulder at Jarod and nodded towards Parker.

"Would you like to dance?" Jarod asked Miss Parker shyly.

"Sure if you promise not to step on my feet." She answered as she stood up and led *him* to the dance floor.

"Miss Parker, isn't the man supposed to lead in a dance?" Jarod asked her with a smile.

"Yes... I mean I guess so." She almost seemed embarrassed as she let Jarod take over the lead. She was surprised he was such a good dancer. "Where did you learn to dance?"

"Oh, I was ballroom dance instructor in one of my pretends."

Buffy looked over her shoulder at the other couple dancing. "Well she hasn't hit him yet." She murmured in Angel's ear.

"Good, that's a start." He danced her a little closer to the other couple.

"Okay, I'll bite, where were you a ballroom dance instructor?" Miss Parker asked as Jarod expertly dipped her low to the ground.

"In Phoenix, I helped a woman get her dance studio back on its feet after her ex husband tried to ruin her business. He was a drug dealer using her studio as a drop for his drugs." Jarod explained as he noticed Miss Parker loosening up a little bit in his embrace.

"They are almost too happy aren't they?" Miss Parker asked with a pensive look on her face as she watched Buffy smiling up at Angel as he held her tightly.

"I think they are just plain lucky to have found each other." Jarod replied softly.

"That's what you think, huh?" Miss Parker looked into his eyes, "It won't last, never does."

"Oh, I disagree, I think if you are lucky enough to find the real thing that it can last." Jarod spoke softly directly in her ear, "If both people really want it too. Problem is some people are just plain scared of love and its consequences."

She pulled away from him. "So you think I'm afraid to love?"

"Are you?"

"Well of course not, I mean if.......well if the right person came along I could love him." Parker said indignantly. "But it doesn't matter 'cause like I said, it never works."

"I bet I could change your mind." Jarod whispered before he could stop himself.

Miss Parker stared at him and for a moment she wondered if maybe he was right. Maybe he was the one who could change her mind.

"Okay, the food is here let's go eat, so we can get out of here." Buffy pulled Angel towards the table.

"Food's here." Jarod nodded towards the table and Miss Parker followed him.

The two couples settled around the table and began to eat. "Beautiful music to dance to, isn't it?" Angel commented to Miss Parker.

"It's nice enough but a little slow." Miss Parker answered.

"Hey we do have something in common, I think the music is kind of old fashioned, but you are older then me. I thought slow would be good for you." Buffy smiled sweetly.

"Well with age comes wisdom, little girl." Parker commented back.

"Wow this steak is wonderful." Jarod interjected before the two women could actually start with the physical violence.

"Yes, it's really good." Angel agreed shooting a glare in Buffy's direction.

The rest of the meal was eaten in silence. "Hey, let's pay the bill and go back to the hotel." Buffy batted her eyelashes at Angel. "Gile's isn't expecting us back for two days and we can take a mini vacation - you know not leave the room for two days." She flashed a smile at him and squeezed his knee under the table.

"Well that's a tempting offer, but should we leave these two?" Angel whispered back.

"If they can't figure this out by now they aren't going too. Come on, follow me, I'll make it well worth your while." Buffy stood up and pushed in her chair, Angel had no choice but to follow suit.

"Angel here is really tired, and I think I should get him back to the hotel." Buffy nodded towards the waiter and he handed Angel the check.

"Uh huh, Angel is tired?" Miss Parker looked skeptical.

"Yes, he is and unlike you two, we have resolved our sexual tension. Maybe you should take a clue." She smiled over her shoulder as Angel laughed and picked her up carrying her out of the restaurant.

"Well, wonder what they're gonna do?" Jarod laughed out loud.

"Well she wasn't very subtle and what was the comment about sexual tension supposed to mean? We don't have any sexual tension." Miss Parker thought for a moment. "Do we?"

Jarod took a chance, he leaned over and kissed her lightly on the lips, "I don't know, did you feel any tension?" He asked as he pulled away.

Parker grinned as she took his collar in both hands and pulled him to her placing her lips on his again. Breathlessly she broke away. "We might have to do that a few more times to decide about the tension, what do you think?"

Jarod was speechless for a moment then called for the waiter. "Check please!"

"So where to?" He asked after he paid the bill.

"I think maybe that scrawny blond chick was right this once, we should go back to the hotel room to figure this out." She grinned at him as he took her hand in his.

Parker grinned as Jarod unlocked the door, the walls were thin in this hotel and she could hear some choice noises coming from the room next door. "Okay if a vampire and a vampire slayer can make it work," she nodded towards the wall, "and clearly they have. Then I don't see why we can't explore some possibilities here." She walked towards him a predators smirk on her face as she began to unbutton his shirt slowly. She made small wet kisses on his chest with every button that came undone.

"Parker." He breathed slowly.

"Mmm." She slid his shirt off his shoulders. Jarod stole a kiss from her as she quickly moved to his pants.

"We can make it work. I know we can."

"Can we talk about this later?" Her fingers unzipped his pants and slipped into his boxers. "Jarod, I think you have been holding out on me." She whispered as she took him into her hands.

Jarod got her dress unzipped and guided in down her body. He couldn't help but run his fingers up and down her body. He had waited for so long to touch her.

She stepped out of the dress and pushed him down onto the bed. "I want you." She spoke softly as Jarod rolled her over. He slid his fingers between her panties and her soft skin. He could feel her getting wet with just his touch. He glanced back up into her eyes to watch her reaction as he shed her of the moist undergarment. He felt her relax under him as he guided himself into her satisfaction.

She let a few moans and groans escape her lips as he moved faster and harder on her. A soft giggle came from her lips as Jarod touched her in all the right spots. And she meant all the right spots.

He took her left breast into his mouth and played with it as Parker wrapped her arms around his head, playing with his hair. He tried to move to the right one when she held him there a little longer.

Jarod fell onto her exhausted from all the love making. He looked into her deep blue eyes.

"I guess this means we have resolved our sexual tension." She smiled.

Jarod laughed. "I guess so."

Parker rolled him over. "My turn." A wicked smiled danced across her lips as she took his lips into hers.

Afterwards as they laid tangled in each others arms Miss Parker drifted into a contented sleep. Jarod disentangled himself from her embrace and stepped out onto the terrace. A masculine voice interrupted his thoughts.

"I guess you and Miss Parker worked out, huh?" Angel smiled from the adjoining terrace.

Jarod smiled and nodded. "Yes. Thanks."

"Angel." Came a small voice from inside the room.

Angel smiled and turned toward the voice. "I'm glad it worked out for you but duty calls. Maybe we will meet again."

Then a distinctly feminine voice called his. "Jarod."

He laughed out loud and said to himself. "I could get used to this kind of duty." As he rushed inside.

THE END!

Feed back welcomeSouthern Belle and A. Price