The old friend that Spike has to see is not Harmony or Drusilla, but it does kinda involve his sire. As for Ava, she's not undercover for Buffy. She's a little like season3 Faith, thrill-seeking and interested in having fun, though not murderous. And Lorne does feel guilt for killing Lindsey. That's why he left the gang, although he does return in the comic books

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Ava was sitting in the middle of the office, pouring over a large map of New York City as Gunn paced nearby, chin in hand as he watched the Slayer. She was holding a crystal on a chain, waving it over the map, while muttering a small spell under her breath

"What exactly are you doing?" Gunn asked, his voice clearly filled with frustration

"Trying to find Spike in New York. This will pinpoint his exact location. Makes it so much easier than sending vampires out to find him"

"Yeah, but that would be more fun"

"Whatever"

The crystal suddenly shot down to the map. Gunn went down on one knee, looking at the location, as Ava smiled

"Looks like we've got him"

"I'll send the vamps out"

He got up and left, as Ava packed up her belongings, before following after him

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Spike ducked under the demon's fist and sliced upwards, severing the demon's arm at the elbow, as Illyria kicked it in the back of its knees, bringing it down and giving Spike the chance to decapitate it. The body fell over, as Spike found a dirty rag and used it to wipe the blood off his sword

"Such a shame. I was expecting the Twinsar demon to put up a better fight"

"That I will agree with you," Illyria said, "But I believe we will find ourselves a better fight than that pathetic excuse for a demon"

"And what's that, love?"

"Those half-breeds who wish to challenge us"

Spike looked up and saw a group of about ten vampires coming towards them. Looking over his shoulder, he saw another group of vampires blocking them off. He turned back to Illyria, as a smile appeared on his face

"Well, what are we waiting for?"

"Come and face your deaths," Illyria told the vampires

Spike threw his sword, decapitating about three vampires in one hit, as Illyria took on four at the same time, beating them down with ease. Dodging a fist, Spike struck the vampire, before throwing him into two approaching vampires, as Illyria slammed a vampire against the wall, before driving her elbow backwards into the face of another vampire, breaking his nose. Spike ducked under a leaping vampire's kick, punching another vampire and whirling around, seeing a young woman looking at him. She was wearing a leather jacket over an orange halter top and blue jeans, her long wavy black hair cascading over her shoulders, her blue eyes sparkling at him

"Hello, love. Come for a little dance, have we?"

"Sure thing, Spike," Ava said

"How do you know who I am?" he asked genuinely confused

He had never met this woman before and had no idea why she would be after him. Or what her agenda was. Her fist slammed into his cheek, giving him his answer

"So, Slayer then, huh," he said, holding his cheek, "You know, I've killed two of you before"

"That was before. This is now," Ava said

"Well, at least give me your name"

"Ava," she answered, giving him a sexy smile

"I like tha-"

Smack!

"You are severely testing my patience," Spike growled

Ava smiled at him, before swinging her fist again. Spike blocked and lashed out, but she parried the blow, elbowing him in the ribs, before kneeing him just below the rib cage. Spike stepped back, deflecting her kick

"So, you working with the vamps? Makes me wonder why a Slayer would do that," Spike said, dodging her punch

"Oh these vamps work for me," Ava said, "And I work for Wolfram and Hart"

Spike blocked her kick, but scored a punch on the jaw, as he landed a left hook on her cheek, before uppercutting her on the chin

"A Slayer working for evil. Oh well, it's happened before"

Ava punched, but Spike grabbed her arm and threw her into the wall. Illyria grabbed the lid off a dustbin and slammed it into a vampire's face, knocking him down, then threw the lid before picking the bin up and dumping it over another vampire. She kicked the bin, knocking the vamp down, before kicking it along the ground. Grabbing a broken broomstick, Illyria staked three vampires in one hit, as two slammed into her, pinning her to the room, as another vamp raised Spike's sword

Just before he could swing the sword, the vampire turned to dust, as the new player threw his stake into another vampire's heart. Illyria grabbed her remaining holder and slammed him against the wall, before facing the new player as he smiled at her

"You should be dead," she said coldly, "The demon clown killed you"

"He thought he did and you all thought he did," Lindsey said, "You're wrong"

A vampire ran at him, but Lindsey swung the sword he was holding, decapitating the vamp, whirling around and beheading another vamp, as Illyria grabbed her broomstick and rammed through a vampire's chest, throwing him over as he turned to dust, impaling the other end through a second vampire

Spike parried Ava's blow, as she swung back with her other elbow. Spike stumbled back, as she whirled around with a high crescent kick. Spike caught her foot and kicked her other knee in, bringing her down, before throwing her onto her back, as Lindsey and Illyria fought together against the vampires. They were heading for the exit, when Gunn appeared, his game face on

"Lindsey, I thought you were dead," Gunn said

"Sorry to disappoint," Lindsey said with a smile

"No matter. I'll do a proper job this time around"

Gunn lunged at Lindsey as he sidestepped, throwing the vampire aside and taking Illyria out of the alley and to his car

"We can't leave Spike behind," Illyria said

"We won't," Lindsey said, starting his car up

He drove to the front of the alley and flicked his hi-beam on. Which turned out to be ultra-violet lights. The vampires caught in the beams cried out as they were burnt, as Gunn hid in the darkness, Ava turned away from the bright light and Spike hid behind a dumpster. Lindsey turned the lights off, as Spike ran for the car, picking his sword up on the way and getting in the passenger seat

"Lindsey?" Spike said in surprise, "What the bloody hell is going on here?"

"I survived Lorne's assassination attempt," Lindsey explained as he pulled away, "And the Powers gave me the responsibility of ensuring your survival, since you're now the champion instead of Angel"

"Sounds lovely, but we have to head for our hotel," Spike said, "We're leaving this country tonight. We were gonna do that anyway, but we got held up"

"Where will you go?" Lindsey asked

"Rome," Illyria answered

Something slammed into the back of their car. Lindsey looked back, seeing a 4WD gaining on them, with Gunn and Ava in the front seat

"Oh, this should be swell," Spike said, "Skip the hotel, go to the airport"

"What am I, your chauffeur?" Lindsey asked

"Apparently"

They drove towards the airport with Gunn hot on their tail, swerving through traffic to avoid Gunn's car slamming into them several times

"Do you have a license?" Spike asked, gripping onto the door handle

"Yeah, I do"

They arrived at the airport and scrambled out of the car, just as Gunn slammed his car into it, smashing the boot and sending the car flying along the road

"Oh crap," Spike said

He, Lindsey and Illyria hurried into the airport, as the employees and civilians watched in horror. A vampire ran inside, but Spike whirled around and decapitated him, as Illyria grabbed another vampire and tossed him through the air

"Don't delay the flights," Lindsey told an employee, "We'll take care of this"

He drove his elbow into a vampire's nose, before booting another in the chest

"The flight for Rome will leave in thirty minutes," Illyria said, punching a vampire

"That's nice, love, but we're really not caring," Spike said

He slammed a vampire's face into the counter, as Ava and Gunn came into the airport. By now, nearly everyone had fled, as Ava headed towards Spike and swung her fist. He kicked up an aisle stand, blocking the blow, before cracking her across the face, as Lindsey threw Gunn over the desk. A vampire came up behind Illyria, but someone took the vampire down, as Illyria whirled around

"Jeez, Spike, I can't leave you alone, huh? Gotta go and cause trouble"

Spike ducked under Ava's kick and took her other leg out, before knocking her out with the flat of the stand. Gunn, meanwhile, saw he was outnumbered and hurriedly left, along with a few remaining vampires, as Spike faced the new person

"Angel," he said with a sigh

"Spike," Angel said

"Angel," Lindsey growled

"Lindsey?" Angel said, cocking an eyebrow

"Spike," said Cordelia, arriving beside Angel

"Cordelia"

"Lindsey?"

"Connor," Spike said, seeing Angel's son

"Illyria," said Connor

"Greet, now we're all introduced," Angel said, "What the hell is going on?"

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