"Tales of D'Hoffryn…"

Disclaimer: Would Joss want his name associated with this? I think not...But anyway all BTVS characters remain the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and all other owner/creators of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series...Though his brother Mort gets nothing...

Archived at the Cicelyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse, .com...

Summary: While saddled with the job of tending the discombobulated First Evil, the Lord of all Things Vengeful tells a few tales of his (well, his people's) exploits with some old friends…

Part II…

"Sunset…"

Part II…

"Caryn…?" Dru turned to the vampiress she and William had found wandering the streets with the abandoned, soulless children of Sunnydale… "Can you check those alleys? Try waving the toys if they hide from you… William?...Can you take the other side? I have to keep focused if I'm to hold them…" she looked back to the line of children, ranging from barely two to young teen following her like ducklings…

"Right, love…" Will nodded, grabbing a couple of bright flashing toys from the bag he filled in passing a smashed toy store window and tossing it to Caryn who pulled out several and passed it onto Dru…

"Dru?..." Caryn paused. Looking nervously at the first alley…

Alone with innocent children…In the dark…Like…?

"You'll be fine…" Dru nodded. "Your soul won't let them be hurt…"

The woman nodded and hurried into the alley… "Hey…We've got toys here, guys!" she called.

"You are a noble soul, Dru Waverly…" William smiled at Dru, then turned and raced for the side street on his side. Dangling the brightly lit toys from his hands…

"Come, children…" Dru intoned softly to the line following her. "Come…We've lovely things for you…"

…..

The children they could find wandering safely herded into the gym of the elementary school Caryn had led them to. They'd secured the main door with a chain William had found in the maintenance room and come back to the street outside…

"Well…The kiddies should be fairly safe for now." Will noted.

"What if…" Caryn eyed them. "The others, like us…But not…This way…Come."

"Judging by the way this is playing out…" William shrugged. "I'd said it's likely every vampire in Sunnydale has a soul."

"Still…Caryn has a point." Dru said…Glancing at the school… "Until we know for certain…And the children are likely to fight amongst themselves…" she eyed Caryn.

"I'll stay…" she nodded. Wan smile… "I was a kindergarten teacher…Once…"

"We'll check back with you every hour…" Dru promised. "And any other children we find, we'll send here."

"Ok…But leave me that…" Caryn pointed to the crude stake Will still carried. "I won't be the cause of more death…If I think I'm reverting…"

"Yes…" Dru nodded. "I understand…Give it to her, Will…She won't do anything unless she has to…"

"Not while they need me and I can help…" Caryn agreed. "What will you do?"

"Try to find the Slayer, I'd say…If we can…" William shrugged. "Hopefully she's home sleepin' through this after all she's been through the past few with Angelus."

"Be on guard…Of her and the other humans…" Dru noted. "As well as our kind, should any not be souled…Just concentrate on me and I'll hear. We'll come…Though most who are awake now seem to be further downtown. Looting and pillaging, I'd suppose…You shouldn't be bothered."

"All right…" Caryn turned. Hesitating… "How long?" she said, not turning to look back at them…

"We think about a day…" Dru said. "But that may be a lie…"

"A day…" Caryn sighed. Turning to them now… "I suppose half of it we'll be trapped indoors…"

"Likely so…Our bodies haven't changed." Will nodded.

"Well…Will be nice to work with kids again. For a little while…Though if there were time…"

"Perhaps there will be…" Dru smiled kindly.

"I don't even know if they're still here…Or if they know…About me…I probably shouldn't…"

"If we can…I'll go with you. We won't intrude, just make sure they're well…" Dru, gently.

"Thanks…" Caryn smiled back. "And maybe…If you guys stop by a clothes store?..." she glanced down at Spike's jacket. "Size 10? Brown or maybe light green?"

"Not a problem…" Will smiled.

"Dru?...If…" Caryn eyed her…

"If…We'll do our best to help you destroy It." Dru nodded.

"Thank you…" Caryn turned and made for the school entrance…

"Well?" Dru looked at Will… "Shall we go find our nemesis and see if she can still listen to reason?"

Wan grin…She shrugged. "I know…Reason, from me?"

"She's seen stranger things, I'd guess…" William returned the grin…

Sound of running, panting…

"Come on, come on…" a slender, light-haired fellow in suit called to his companions…One, a heavy-set black-haired man in dark suit…The other, a red-headed woman, about forty in appearance, in casual clothes… "We've gotta get outta here…" the first speaker insisted.

"No…" the heavy-set man shook his head. The red-head eyeing him…

"She'll kill us…"

"I don't care…" the dark-haired one looked back. "I don't want to…Exist…Like this. Let her do it. I'd rather be dead than this way…"

"You're right…" the woman nodded. "I won't hurt anyone else…Let her kill me."

"You're both crazy…" the first 'man' shook head at them. "We're not responsible for what happened. We didn't ask for this. I'm not gonna die here. I'm alive again and that's all that counts…!"

"Then go on…" the heavy-set one pointed. "We'll keep her busy for a minute or two…Go…"

"And leave my party?" a soft voice cooed. "Oh, don't do that…" a figure stepped out of the shadows of the cemetery behind them…

"We're not what you think…Slayer…" the slender one pleaded. As Buffy Summers, in rather elegant outfit, a light green gown and shawl, snatched just a few minutes ago from her favorite department store downtown…With bright, warm smile…Moved into the light of a streetlamp.

"I think…You just came outta that crypt, back there." she eyed him. "And that puts you at the top of my party list…"

"You can't…We're not responsible…!"

The heavy-set 'man' stepped forward. The woman beside him… "Run!" he called to the slender one as they moved to block the Slayer from him…

"Now that's loyalty…" she cooed, nodding…Taking careful aim, she hurled her stake between them to hit their fleeing companion, instantly dusting him…

"You should have let him go, miss." the woman shook her head. "He was telling the truth. Something's happened…We're not…What we were."

"Like I give a fuck…" Buffy smiled. "Now…While I go dig Mr. Pointy out of your friend's ashes…Why don't you two get started making this fun for me and run. Different directions and I'll give you a whole sixty seconds…"

Well? She eyed the two…

"Do what you have to, miss…" the 'man' shrugged. "We want to die…We can't bear this anymore. This nightmare…"

"Now that's a disappointment…" she frowned…Heading past them to reach the pile of ash where Mr. Pointy lay…

"I've been having one hell of a night what with all of you guys stretching out before me, asking me to 'end this torment' and all that crappola. What's up?" giving a single, sharp heave to pull the stake out and turning to face them…

"God knows…" the woman shook her head. "We just suddenly found ourselves…Back…"

"I was hopin' from your pal's fine sense of self-preservation, you guys might be a bit of a challenge." she sighed. "This is getting' borin', ya know?"

"What's wrong with you, Slayer…?" the woman stared. "You sound like one…Of us…"

"Now that's an insult…" Buffy waged a finger. "Bye…" she dusted the woman…Cocking her head at the man…

"Pity your girlfriend had a big mouth. She's right…I am feelin' a little off color tonight…" she eyed him. Twisting a bright bracelet on her wrist…Flitched from the jewelry counter of said department store…

"You any good in the sack, big boy?" she asked, smiling at him again. "This virgin's lookin' to lose it but I haven't found a real Unman in this burg tonight. And as for the happy meals…Plllease…"

"What?"

"I asked if you could get it up. For the sake of extendin' your existence another fifteen or so…Maybe longer if I enjoy myself." she smiled.

"You can't screw a vampire…" he said, rather shocked tone. "You're the Slayer. What is wrong with you?"

"Ok, now you're wounding my fragile ego…" she glared. "The Slayer says…Get your pants off…"

"I'm a married…Well, I was…Man. I won't do that…" he replied. "Young lady…You need help…"

"Really? Well, here's the deal…Get…Them…Off…" she repeated. Eyeing him up and down… "Or I will make it hurt…A lot…"

"Slayer…Something terrible's happened to you." he shook his head. "Some kind of Evil influence…You don't want to do this. It's not right…"

"Now vamps are giving me moral lectures?" she sighed. "Ok…Bye…" she staked him.

"Bet you regret it now, huh?" she sneered at the dust cloud…

…..

"I think I know that girl…"William pointed to the pharmacy down the street from them, close upon the downtown section where most of Sunnydale's adults seemed busy looting or fighting…Like demons, acting solely on instinct, Dru noted.

"The red-headed one?" Dru looked.

"She's a friend of the Slayer…" he stared where Willow in her usual sedate outfit was coming out of the store, carrying a bag. "She may know…Hey!" he called. Ummn…Right… "Willow?"

Willow turned, staring…A frightened look as she recognized him…

"Is she?" he looked to Dru who nodded… 'Fraid so…

"You?" she gasped. "You keep away from me…!" she pulled out a cross…

Hmmn…Not that it would normally deter me that much…But…Nothing…Will thought.

"Miss…Willow…I won't hurt you…" he pleaded. "Something dreadful has happened and…"

"The Slayer's my best friend…She'll kill you if you hurt me!" Willow glared. "You, too…" she looked at Dru, who put up a hand…

"We mean you no harm, Willow." Dru said, quietly. "Please…William is telling the truth. You know something is wrong here."

"What?" Willow stared. "Go to Hell! I'll have the Slayer kill you if you don't get outta here!" she backed away…

"Willow…" Dru said, slowly. "It's all right…You can trust me. Look at me…You know I won't hurt you."

Willow staring…

"No!" she cried, hurrying back…

"She has power." Dru shook her head. "Sorry…"

"It's fine. Lets try the standard method…" Will shrugged.

They raced down after her…

"There…That car!" Dru pointed… "Willow! Wait!" she called.

William hurrying along, squinting… Damn…I have got to get new specs. Ah, there…

Willow fumbling with car keys…Bit more difficult they not being her own. She found the right key and unlocked…

"Stop!" Dru had reached the door, grabbing her arm. Pulling out and tossing the key back toward William…

"Get away…!" Willow tried to slip back across the seat to the other door… "You bitch from Hell!"

"Not tonight…" Dru said…Grabbing her arm. "Listen, Willow…I'm not going to harm you! I…"

She caught sight of the unconscious boy in the back of the car…Dark-haired…Willow catching her glance…

"He's mine!" Willow suddenly raged. "You can't have him…Xander is mine!"

Dru stared at her…

"Mine!" Willow repeated. As William reached them…

"The poor girl is in a sad state…" Dru shook her head at Willow. "But I can't seem to break through…She has some natural ability, power…"

"The Slayer will kill you when she knows you're here…You're dead!" Willow fumed. "Get outta here!"

"We need to find out what she knows. At least if she knows where Miss Summers is…" William noted. Eyeing Dru…

"I hate to do it, but…" he gave an apologetic look…

"I don't know…They must be very susceptible to demons now. It could allow one to seize her…" Dru noted.

Willow eyed them…

"Don't hurt me…I'll help you…" Willow said. "I can show you how to get into her place. You can kill her. Just don't hurt me…"

"You don't know what you're saying, miss." Dru sighed. "Please…Try to calm down…"

"I'll be as careful as I can…Just enough to put her in light thrall."

"All right…But…" Dru glanced nervously at Willow. "Stop if I sense anything dangerous…Threatening…"

"Of course…" he nodded.

"Buffy…!" Willow called. "Buffy!" she screamed. "Goddamn you, you goy bitch! Where are you when I need you!"

"Willow, I won't hurt you…" Will sighed, climbing into the car. "I only want to help end this…"

"Xander! Help me!" she screamed. "NO!"

Dru averting her eyes…God, forgive us…

…..

The trio strolled carefully along what William identified as Main Street, downtown Sunnydale, avoiding the horde of humans now demolishing the major stores and restaurants. Cars whizzing by, most loaded with plunder…

Well, at least two did…Willow rather stumbling along in light thrall…

"He wouldn't be with me…" Willow noted blankly to William's question about the unconscious Xander…

"So I drugged him. But I needed more…And something to get him goin'."

"'Goin'?'..." Dru quoted, puzzled.

"You don't want to know, dear heart…" Will sighed.

"You mean...?"

"This stuff'd make him stiff as a board…" Willow noted. Blankly…Indicating the bag by her side…

"While he was unconscious? That's dreadful…" Dru stared.

"I want him…He's mine…" Willow said, quietly.

"Determined girl…" Will noted. "He's a lucky so-and-…"

Sorry…He eyed Dru's frown…

"Willow? Where is Miss Summers?" Dru asked…

"That bitch…She outta be here, protecting me…" Willow replied.

"Let me try…" Will suggested. "Willow, girl…I want a straight answer…Where's the Slayer…?"

"On Patrol…" Willow answered…

"'Patrol'?" Dru stared.

"Hunting our kind…Protecting the city…" William explained. "But, I wouldn't've thought…Willow, was she…Normal?"

"She'd be here, trying to help her friend…" Dru shook her head.

"Bitch took the dress I wanted when we went into the store. Wouldn't come with me to get Xander…"

"Doesn't sound like she's the same Slayer I met…" William eyed Dru. "You're right, she'd never leave a friend actin' like this…"

"Does she have anyone…Slayers have advisors, don't they…?" Dru, trying to remember…

"A Watcher, yes…A scholar who knows the occult, a Mr. Giles in this case. But he's likely gone like the rest…" Will frowned.

"The poor man, the Beast…In front of me…" Dru closed her eyes. "And I helped…Oh, those memories are coming back now…" she shuddered…

"Dru…" Will eyed her. "I need you…"

"I'm all right…" she shook her head. "Just trying to remember…Yes, I remember him. Willow, do you know where Mr. Giles is…Or might be…?"

"Giles? Gone…LA…To report to someone…" Willow said, wanly. "He should've been here to help me…Bastard…"

"LA?" William looked at Willow… "You're sure?"

"Yeah…"

"He might be a help then…" Dru noted. "If we could just reach him. If he's outside the radius of influence and has knowledge of the occult, he might be able to break this curse or spell or whatever it is…"

William nodded. Worth a try…

"Willow? Do you have a way to reach Mr. Giles? A phone number…?"

"Buffy does…"

Hmmn…He eyed Dru…

Well, back to square one…

"There must be a place he's staying. Something connected with his group of Watchers…" Dru noted. "They're based back home, aren't they? England?"

"Yeah…We could try giving them a call…"

Hello, Watchers Council? William the Bloody here, with soul…Just wanted to tell you your Slayer's lost hers and…Click…He thought…

Still, worth a try…They've seen stranger, no doubt…

"Perhaps…But if he's English and an occult scholar…"

"And a high school librarian…" Will noted.

Sounds like a back-up career for me, if I retain the soul…He thought, wryly.

"There can't be too many places in Los Angeles where he and his people would be meeting…" she suggested.

"Well, it does give us two additional avenues to pursue. Though our immediate problem is…"

"Right here…" Buffy said, broad smile. Stake gripped