"So this vampire lives in the Slayer's home?" Wesley asked Giles a little apprehensively.
"And he's going to start dating her younger sister on her sixteenth birthday," Giles replied distractedly. "Are you sure there's nothing more of the Gerhardt? This volume appears unfinished."
"It is," Wesley replied, shuffling some of the files. "He died before it could be completed. I do hope Buffy knows what she's doing."
"As much as any of us does." Giles blinked and looked up. "Oh. You mean about Spike?"
Wesley nodded and nodded toward the back porch, where the Potentials, Micah, and Caddie were eating breakfast. "Quite frankly, I'm apprehensive about having him in proximity to what could be our only hope."
"I wouldn't worry about it," Giles told him. "He's only as likely to harm them as you or I, but if Kennedy keeps it up, I think he just might make an exception for her." When Wesley failed to relax at Giles' attempt at humor, Giles sighed and removed his glasses. "Wesley, Spike is in possession of his soul. He doesn't feed on humans anymore." Giles frowned. "Well, except for that incident last summer with Ethan Rayne. And no one's blaming him for that."
He slipped his glasses back on. "We have absolutely nothing to fear from Spike. In fact, he just might prove to be a valuable ally."
Wesley rubbed the back of his neck. "I suppose we'll see," he murmured.
*****
The Scooby Gang was holding a powwow in the basement to get away from the younger people and to accommodate Spike. Buffy leaned against one of the support beams and looked around the circle of faces. Oz and his wife, Willow, sat on the old, unfinished bench in the corner. Cordelia was curled in Spike's armchair and her boyfriend, Doyle, stood beside her. Dawn sat next to Spike on Spike's cot, and Angel lurked by the stairs.
"Everyone get the scoop on the Turok-han?" Buffy asked. After receiving affirmatives from everyone, she continued. "So what's our next move?"
"The First Evil raised it, so it's probably under its control," Willow offered. "If we knew what the First Evil was up to…" she trailed off with a suddenly depressed expression.
"I'm pretty sure we all know what the First Evil's long-term plans are," Angel said dryly. Doyle sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. This was only his second apocalypse.
"Right now I think we need to focus on the small things," Buffy said. "Like how to take care of the uber-vamp."
"And the baby Slayers that are going to start showing up," Cordelia put in. "Wesley did say they were headed here."
"Different definitions of the word 'care,'" Oz put in. "Caddie was able to chase the Turok-han away with sunlight. Maybe if she tried again she'd be able to kill it."
"No!"
"Absolutely not."
Buffy and Angel calmed down from their exclamations and exchanged a look. "We're not willing to risk Caddie by putting her in a situation like that again," Angel said at length.
"We may not have a choice," Spike said. When both the Slayer and the former vampire glared at him, he held up his hands. "Hey, I'm just a guy with his ear to the ground, but even I can feel it. Something's coming. And it's gonna be big."
A grim silence fell over them, until Buffy shook herself free. "Small things," she said with a grimace. "Why am I getting the feeling the uber-vamp is going to come after us? And somehow I don't think that he's gonna need an invitation to get in here."
"We're maintaining the protection spell around the house," Willow said. "It should be enough to keep any nasties at bay."
"We can't afford to be passive in this," Buffy said, haunted by the memories from the "first" time around. "We can't sit back and let the fight come to us. We have choose our battles otherwise we're going to find ourselves at a disadvantage."
"We're always at a disadvantage, luv," Spike pointed out.
Buffy smiled tightly at him. "Yeah, that's 'cause we're the good guys. Tonight we're going vampire hunting, and I want Angel, Oz, Spike, and Willow with me. Doyle, you and Cordelia stay here with Wes and Giles and watch over the girls. The First may use the uber-vamp as a distraction. Micah and Dawn can help if needed."
She received nods all around, and one by one they filed out of the basement. Buffy turned to Spike. "Are you going to be up for it tonight?"
He nodded firmly. "I'm near about healed. A good day's sleep and I'll be right as rain."
"Are you hungry?" Dawn asked. "Do you want some blood? I can get you some?"
"I'm good, pet," Spike assured her with a quick smile. "You don't need to worry about me."
Buffy met Dawn's gaze and jerked her head toward the stairs. Dawn sighed and left her future boyfriend's side. Buffy was about to follow when she turned back and said in a low voice, "Spike, I'm glad you're here."
Spike smiled faintly. "Me, too."
*****
When the final bell rang, Angel felt as relieved as the students, but of course he didn't show it. "The essays on The Phantom of the Opera are due tomorrow!" he called over the sound of shuffling papers and closing books. "At least five pages a logical explanation for Erik's actions towards Christine."
As the students filed out, Angel returned to his desk and lowered himself into the chair. He enjoyed exploring eighteenth and nineteenth century works, mostly for the reason that he was a contemporary of the creators. He wished the school offered an art history class, but he had had to world literature instead.
"Father?"
His head shot up and he saw Micah standing in the doorway, clutching her backpack in both hands. "Micah. Come in. What's wrong?"
"I'm not sure how to explain it," she said, walking over to stand by his desk. "I feel a great pressure here," she place her hand over her heart. "As if I am afraid of something, but I don't know what." She blew a heavy sigh. "And the lacrosse team keeps trying to antagonize me into a fight."
"Are you?" Angel asked. When Micah sent him a confused look, he elaborated. "Afraid."
She shook her head, her short black hair glinting under the light. "I don't think so," she said. Then she tilted her head as if remembering something. "The feeling became worse when I went to Principle Wood's office to drop off a note for Mrs. MacAdams."
Angel's eyebrows rose. "You must be sensing the Hellmouth. Wood's office is directly over it." He put his chin on his fist. "Interesting. Have you been feeling this way ever since you started school, or just recently?"
Micah stopped to consider it. "Since the day after Andrew and the Potentials came, and the First brought the Turok-han out of the seal. That's when the feeling started." She shifted her weight uncomfortably. "It feels like something's going to happen, Father. Like something is hanging over our heads. And when it falls, it's going to be bloody. I can smell the fear and anger in the other students. I think they sense it, too."
Angel nodded and got to his feet. "Come on. We're going to check on the seal. See if anything's changed."
Micah stowed her bag behind Angel's desk and they headed for the basement. Angel navigated the catacombs easily by memory. Micah's head looked as if it was on a swivel, constantly turning this way and that, scenting and tasting the air at regular intervals.
"The feeling is worse," she said after a long silence. Angel turned to look at his daughter. She looked paler than usual, if that was at all possible. "Actually, I feel a little sick."
"Why don't you stay here?" Angel suggested. She shook her head.
"No, I'll keep going. I'll be fine."
Angel nodded and continued walking. Finally they turned the last corner and entered the room with the seal. Angel walked straight to the hole while Micah held back, her luminescent eyes darting around the shadows.
"I thought we covered this back up," Angel said, kicking at the loose soil.
"We did," Micah replied. "Look," She crouched next to a shovel lying on the dirt floor. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. "Human sweat. I can't identify the individual."
Angel joined her and picked up the shovel, lifting the handle to his nose. "You're right, and I can't either. But it's a little familiar." He got to his feet. "We should call Giles."
Micah stood and brushed the dirt from her pants. "Good idea. Besides, I have class in fifteen minutes."
Angel smiled lopsidedly and turned toward the door, just in time to see a metal pipe come out of nowhere and slam into his face.
