Spike, using his eyes only, seduced a young woman to dance with him despite the scars on his face. He moved them until they were near the stage. When he caught Buffy's gaze, he grabbed the girl's mouth and bit into her neck. Never taking his eyes off Buffy as she watched in horror. He laid the corpse on the floor, not drawing anyone else's attention.

Buffy followed him out to the back alley. He sat a leg on a crate and lit a cigarette, waiting for her to speak.

"Where's Willow?"

He chortled. "That's a stupid wasted question. I won't tell you, and you won't hit me. But I'll give you another try."

"Is she alive?"

"Yes."

"How hurt is she?"

"We healed her, but Angelus had broken her back and cracked her cheekbone." He flicked ashes before taking another drag. "Now ask me what you really want to ask me."

"What's it like to be a vampire?"

"Now there's my girl. I knew you had it in you." Spike pushed off the crate and sidled up to her. Gentle fingers ran down her cheek before wrapping around her neck with no pressure but still threatening. "It's being you without the weight of guilt. It's thrilling and fun and surreal while being more real and alive than breathing with a beating heart."

Buffy didn't move as the tear slid down her face and her eyes closed. When she opened them, he was gone, and she walked off slowly when the screaming inside started.

"How many days has it been? They all bleed together." Willow looked at the shadow of Drusilla, who was brushing Willow's hair.

"One plus one plus one plus one. Would you like me to sing to you?"

"OK."

"A Rose tree in full bearing, Had sweet flowers fair to see, On Rose beyond comparing, For beauty attracted me." Drusilla's voice was coarse but hypnotic and Willow's eyes glazed over as she went on. "Tho' eager once to win it, Lovely blooming trees and gay, I find a canker in it, And now throw it far away." She hummed for a few notes and then continued, "How fine this morning early, All was sunshine clear and bright, So late I lov'd you dearly, Tho' lost now each fond delight. The clouds seem big with showers, Sunny beams no more are seen, Farewell ye happy hours, Your falsehood has chang'd the scene."

She sang it through a few times, getting into Willow's head.

"Rose! Rose you'll rip your dress."

Rose/Willow looked down from her perch high in the tree out back at her Grandmum/Drusilla. "But it's so lovely up here!"

The scene shifted and Grandmum/Drusilla was brushing Rose/Willow's hair as she sat in a frilly dress, feet dangling. "Cherry Rose, tell me how you got so smart?"

"Shh, I read."

"I love books! They take you away to far off places like the stars in someone else's sky do. They fit you into many shoes and skins."

"I love you, Grandmum."

"I love you, too, Cherry Rose," Drusilla said as she drew back from Willow's mind. "You need to stay alive as long as possible. I like hearing the blood rush in your veins to the beat of your sweet heart."

Disturbed Willow whispered, "Of course."

While Spike distracted Buffy, Angelus walked into the library with a whistle. Xander tried to attack him, but Angelus punched him to the floor hard enough to pop his eye out of its socket. Cordelia held a hardback book like a shield and cowered in the corner. Giles grabbed his rapier and tried to take Angelus' head, but the blade whipped over his head as he ducked. Angelus punched Giles in the torso sending him through the office window.

After grabbing Cordelia's book, he swung it at the computer on the counter. The monitor went flying into the wall, exploding in a shower of sparks. He picked up the rest of the computer and smashed it into tiny shrapnel. Without a word and still whistling, Angelus walked out with a dance to his step.

Spike and Angelus met up at the door to their home. "How'd it go?"

Angelus smiled. "Even easier than I thought it would be. You?"

"She let me kill a woman right in front of her." Spike flipped the lock and opened the door. "Did you leave any of them alive?"

"Left them all alive. Not in one piece necessarily, but alive."

"We should tell Willow about our evenings." Spike walked inside after Angelus.

"We should." Angelus draped his coat over the back of the couch while Spike hung his up on the hook near the door.

"At least Dru's being a good girl. I can hear our guest's still breathing."

When Buffy saw the ambulance and cop car outside the school she ran inside. "Giles! Cordelia! Xander!"

Xander was put on a stretcher with a pouch over his one eye. Giles was sitting at the table with his arm in a sling, but still obviously at a wrong angle. Cordelia stared at the floor standing in the corner answering questions for the police.

"What happened?" Buffy breathed as she grabbed Xander's hand.

"Your ex stopped by," Xander said as he turned his head away from her.

"Miss step back. We need to get your friend to the hospital if there'll be any chance of saving his eye." The EMT pushed Xander out as Buffy stepped back.

Giles walked out with the other EMT. "We'll talk tomorrow."

Buffy nodded at him and then turned toward Cordy. "Cordelia? Are you OK?"

"He didn't touch me. But he killed our only chance at finding what we were looking for. He smashed the computer." She gestured to the litter of metal bits on the floor.

Snyder stomped in and pointed at Buffy. "What happened here? And what did she have to do with it?"

The officer said, "A man terrorized a couple students and the librarian helping them with their studies. We think he saw the library light on and saw an opportunity."

"That doesn't answer what Buffy Summers had to do with it."

Exasperated, Buffy defended herself. "I was out for a walk and saw the ambulance and police. I knew my friends were here studying and rushed in because I was worried about them."

Snyder sneered at her but said nothing else before storming out.

Cordelia touched Buffy's elbow. "You should come home with me. It's not safe at your house."

Buffy nodded and glanced at Cordelia before finding the floor fascinating. They left when the officer determined there was no use keeping them there.