Last time: Angelus and Spike kidnapped Maggie Walsh and Riley.

*****

Buffy had called her friends for a special meeting at Giles' apartment. The easy part was getting them there. The hard part was telling them why she had wanted to meet. She hadn't yet thought of an actual good way to do it so she simply plunged right in. "I bet you're all wondering what I wanted to tell you. Well, it's simple. Angel and I are back together. As in--*together*." She hoped to God they would understand so she wouldn't have to elaborate.

Fortunately, most of the gang caught on immediately. Giles and Willow chorused, "Buffy!" in wildly disparate tones. Giles' was shocked and disapproving, while Willow's was more surprised and pleased. Anya merely nodded and looked disinterested, while Tara blushed and remained silent.

Of the entire group, Xander was the only one who looked confused. "Huh? What are you talking about?"

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Geez, Xander, do I have to draw you a picture?"

"I've tried doing that with him," Anya volunteered. "It does help."

"What?" Xander looked from one girl to the other. "You mean... you and Angel are...? Oh, no!" He clapped his hands over his eyes. "Please tell me it isn't true!"

"I'm afraid Buffy has already told us it is," Giles informed him. "I must say, I am extremely disappointed, Buffy. Exactly how much thought did you put into the matter? Surely you remember what happened the last time Angel lost his soul?"

"Of course she does," Willow defended. "This decision wasn't an easy one for her. She even told me how she felt about--" She broke off and looked away.

As usual, Giles caught the slip-up. "Willow, you knew about this situation beforehand but didn't mention it to me?"

She entwined her fingers and explained, "I figured it was like a private thing between Buffy and me. Plus, she didn't actually say what she was going to do. So it wasn't like I *knew* knew, I just kinda suspected in a really vague way that she might get back together with Angel."

Giles shook his head. "I am very disappointed in you, Willow, but much more so in you, Buffy. I had no idea you had grown so close to Angel again, even while knowing the potential consequences of such actions. You are responsible for so many other lives besides your own, yet you behaved quite recklessly."

Buffy looked at the group. She wasn't getting much support there. Tara acted like she was afraid to open her mouth, Anya simply didn't care, Xander was disgusted, and Giles had already shot down Willow's attempt to help. No, things were not going well at all. Buffy turned back to Giles. "I know you don't understand my decision but I put a lot of thought into it. Angel hasn't turned back into Angelus, I don't regret our relationship, and you can't make me feel guilty. Let me know when you want to talk instead of yell at me." Having delivered her speech, Buffy held her head high and hurried out of Giles' apartment. As soon as she stepped outside, though, she leaned against the wall and drew in a few shuddering breaths. Okay, so they *had* made her feel guilty. But she wasn't about to give in to the disapproval. She and Angel were meant to be together, and they had found a way.

Still, the negative reactions weren't what she'd been looking for. Buffy's depression deepened when she realized the evening had been disastrous enough already and she hadn't gone to see her mother yet. Angel had been very insistent that she do so. Since the matter was so important to him, she had to do it. Buffy set her shoulders and turned for home.

*****

Angelus and Spike were in their element. They had two worthy prisoners and a little dungeon in the basement of the mansion that was perfectly suited for their purposes. Humming a merry little depressing tune, Spike chained Riley and Maggie side by side against the wall while Angelus collected the batch of torture implements and wheeled them inside on a cart. The two had barely finished their tasks when Maggie began to stir.

Angelus stalked over to her. "Hello, Maggie. May I call you that? I feel like we know each other. And if you don't feel the same way now, you will by morning."

She stared at him. "You're Hostile 28." Her eyes flickered over to Spike. "And you're the one who attacked us." Then her gaze fell on Riley, shackled unconscious next to her, and she reached over to feel for a pulse.

"Don't worry, Finn isn't dead yet, but soon he'll wish he was," Angelus generously explained.

Maggie glared. "If you release us now, your punishment will be much less severe than it would otherwise be."

Spike swaggered over, clutching a drill. "Want me to get started?"

Angelus shook his head. "Not yet. I want to have a little chat with my new friend Maggie first." He leaned close to whisper in her ear. "Now, Maggie, we have to talk. You did something very bad to me, and you're probably feeling pretty sorry about that right about now. That's good. Unfortunately, it doesn't change the situation. I'm still stuck with this pesky little chip in my head and we both know it doesn't belong there. So, what I want from you is quite simple. I want you to tell me how to safely remove it."

Maggie held herself as far from Angelus as the chains would allow. "Never! I don't care what you or your henchman do to me. I'll never set an animal like you free to kill innocent people again."

"That's too bad." Angelus stepped back. "All right, then, if you'll just wait in here and think about things, Spike and I will be back in a bit to start the next phase."

The vampires left the room, shutting and locking the door behind them. Once they had retreated upstairs, Spike looked at Angelus. "Now what?"

Angelus grabbed the copy of "History of Punishment and Torture" he had stolen from Waldenbooks. He'd proceeded as far as "Cell Hells of the Middle Ages" and was eager to read on while Buffy wasn't around to see. "Now, we wait."

So they waited. But as minute after minute ticked by, Spike grew increasingly restless. He began to pace and shoot dirty looks at Angelus, who ignored them. Finally, Spike burst out, "Well, how much longer is it gonna be? I want to kill something *now*."

"Give it another 20 minutes," Angelus replied without looking up from a fascinating passage about corporal punishment.

Spike continued to pace and fume, but Angelus held firm and it was indeed a full 20 minutes before he set aside his book and rose. Spike led the way to the basement with rapid strides, muttering, "She's *got* to be sweating blood by now."

Angelus sighed. "If only."

The sight that greeted them when they returned to the cell was not what they had hoped for. Maggie Walsh was trying to rouse an unmoving Riley, stroking his hair and murmuring to him. As her captors approached, she gently released Riley and moved away from him.

"So, did you think over our little problem?" Angelus asked.

Maggie didn't reply.

"Good. I'd hate for you to give in so quickly. We haven't had any fun yet. Spike." Angelus turned and pointed out a gleaming dagger at the end of the table. "Bring over that instrument, why don't you?"

As Spike did so, Maggie stated, "It doesn't matter what you do to me. I won't talk."

"I guess we're in trouble, then," Angelus agreed. "Because we all know Riley doesn't have the information I need. You're possibly the only person who can give it to me. Right?"

"That will never happen."

"We'll see about that. Come on, Spike." Angelus summoned the other vampire up next to him. "Here's where I want you to start cutting." He pointed at Maggie's stomach; then his finger moved in Riley's direction, and ended up indicating his face. "Start with the right cheek. Carve something pretty."

Maggie gasped. "Why are you touching Riley? He doesn't know anything and he's still unconscious."

"Like that matters to us?" Angelus nodded to Spike. "Go ahead, get to work."

Spike stepped up to the shackled figure and lightly dragged the dagger over Riley's forehead, then down the side of the face. "How 'bout I start with a flower? That sound good?"

"Perfect." Angelus settled back to watch the show.

As Spike drew back and prepared to make the first incision, Maggie cried, "No, wait! Don't hurt him. We can make a deal."

"Hold on a second, Spike," Angelus ordered. He strolled over to Maggie and inquired, "What do you have in mind?"

"I'll tell you what you want to know. *After* you release Riley, unharmed."

"Give us a minute to talk it over." Angelus pulled Spike into the hallway, out of hearing range. "Matters have become more interesting. You think she'll tell the truth if I agree?"

Spike considered. "Could be. She has quite a thing for Finn, you know."

Angelus grimaced. "An image I did not need, thank you very much, Spike."

"We're vampires. We've done worse. Hell, we've imagined worse."

"Than Maggie Walsh and Riley Finn in flagrante delicto?" Angelus shook his head. "That's a tough one to top, even for us, so we're going to move on and not speak of it again. Regarding Finn, we're going to let him go. He's still unconscious, he doesn't know who grabbed him in the first place, and if we get rid of him quickly enough, he still won't know. The best part is that we can always take our time and hunt him down again later."

Spike shrugged. "I guess."

Having agreed, they went back into the room, where Angelus announced, "It's your lucky day, Maggie. I accept your terms. We release Riley, and you tell me how to get rid of the chip."

*****

Buffy tentatively tapped on the front door of her mother's house. In all honesty, she almost hoped her mom wouldn't answer. It would simplify matters so much if she could just leave and go back to her dorm room...except there, she would have to face Willow again. Not a pleasant thought. After the earlier confrontation with her friends, Buffy didn't want to see any of them again for at least another day. She was so averse to that possibility that she found herself hoping she could make up with Mom, if only so she could stay at the house for the night.

Just as Buffy was about to knock again, the door opened and Joyce, dressed in a bathrobe, looked out at her. "Buffy." She spoke in a flat, uninviting tone.

Great start. "Hi, Mom," Buffy replied in a more neutral voice, not sure how to begin the conversation.

They remained staring at each other for several seconds before Joyce asked, "Well, what brings you here?"

"I thought we could talk."

"About?"

"A few things." Buffy shifted from foot to foot. "Angel, I guess."

If anything, Joyce's expression turned even less welcoming. "Do you know, Buffy, this weekend I started thinking I might have been a little harsh with you during our discussion on Friday, so I called your dorm room to talk to you and Willow told me you weren't there. She tried to cover up, but it was obvious where you were spending your time--with Angel, despite knowing my feelings about that evil vampire who threatened my life. I have to put this bluntly, Buffy: You are not welcome in this house until you come to your senses." She began to close the door.

"Wait!" Buffy blurted. Joyce stopped, but kept her hand on the door. Buffy hurried on. "Mom, do you remember what happened the other time you said something like that to me? When I told you I was the Slayer and you said if I left the house I shouldn't come back?"

Joyce nodded. "Yes, I do remember. That time, I made a mistake and I know it. This time, the mistake would be listening to you. Buffy, I can't welcome you back into my house until you acknowledge that monster for what he is. It's as simple as that." Joyce stepped back and firmly shut the door in her daughter's face.

Buffy listened as the lock clicked into place. It was then that she realized she'd spent the entire conversation standing on the porch while her mother remained inside the house.

Well, she'd tried. That was all Angel had asked for, wasn't it?

Thoughts of Angel naturally led to thoughts of where she could spend the night. She couldn't stay with her mother, that much was obvious. The dorm was also out, for equally compelling reasons. That left Angel's place. Buffy was sure he wouldn't mind if she came over, especially when he heard about her horrible evening. That was the solution; she'd patrol first, then go over to the mansion to stay the remainder of the night with Angel.

*****

"Spike." Angelus nodded toward Riley's limp body. "Why don't you move our friend out to the car and drop him off somewhere safe? When you come back, Maggie here'll tell us the secret to taking care of the chip."

"Sure." As Spike moved to unlock the chains, he "accidentally" whacked Riley's head against the wall. "Whoops. Guess he won't be waking up anytime soon."

"Wait a minute," Maggie protested. "How can I be sure you'll release Riley? For all I know, you might just move him to another room and continue to hold him prisoner."

"Now, Maggie, you have my word. Isn't that good enough for you?"

"I want to see you bring Riley to a safe location and leave him there unharmed before I tell you even one thing."

"You have to complicate matters, don't you?" Angelus thought the matter over. "All right, we'll haul you along. This has clearly become a group activity."

Swiftly, he and Spike transported their prisoners all the way upstairs and outside to the car. Then, Angelus began to drive in a random direction while Spike sat in the backseat beside Maggie, with Riley lying across the floor.

"Where do we dump him?" Angelus mused. "Park? Sewer?"

"No! He could be attacked and even killed if you leave him in the open," Maggie protested. "He has a friend who lives in an apartment nearby. If you turn right at the next corner, we'll almost be there."

Angelus turned left onto a dark street. "Sorry, Maggie. I don't trust anyone who calls Riley a friend. We'll have to come up with another idea. Spike?"

"How 'bout there?" Spike indicated the only house on the block that still had a light on inside. "Dump him on the steps, knock on the door, take off, and watch from a distance till whoever's home opens the door and finds the body. Good?"

"Good." Angelus drove past the house and stopped near the end of the block, pulling the Plymouth over to the curb. After checking to make sure the house was within sight, he hauled the unconscious body out of the backseat. "Spike, stay in the car with Maggie and let her watch, but make sure she doesn't try to get out. I'll take care of Riley."

Keeping to the shadows, Angelus slunk toward the house. It proved an easy task to dump Riley on the steps, ring the doorbell, and escape. Angelus then watched from a safe distance until a middle-aged man appeared at the front door. It looked like Riley would live another night, but that was all right. He wouldn't be around much longer. Satisfied that all had gone well, Angelus returned to the car. "There, done. Now we can go back to the mansion and hear Maggie's side of the story, like we agreed."

Without incident, they returned to the mansion and brought Maggie back to the basement, where Spike again chained her to the wall.

The prisoner shook her chains and shifted uneasily. "Is this really necessary? We have a bargain."

"Indeed we do." Angelus leaned close to her. "How about you finally fulfill your end of it? Start talking."

Maggie took a deep breath. "Very well. To disable the chip, you must make an incision in the upper left side of the brain." She indicated the spot on Angelus' head. "Right about there. After the incision is made, the top of the chip will be visible. In the middle on the top, if you look closely, you will see a tiny knob. This knob must be pushed all the way to the left and then it will be safe to very carefully remove the chip and discard of it."

"That's it?" The explanation seemed almost disappointingly simple, which instantly made Angelus suspicious.

"That's it," Maggie confirmed.

"If you're sure, then." Angelus turned to Spike. "Time to move on to the next phase. We need to take care of Maggie."

Her voice rose in alarm. "What do you mean? What are you going to do to me?"

"Torture you, of course," Angelus clarified. "Don't pretend to be surprised. We're vampires. It's what we do."

"But I told you what you wanted to know."

"And you thought that was it and we'd...what? Let you go afterwards? Or kill you quickly and cleanly? No such luck. Isn't that a pity?" Angelus moved over to the torture table and studied a few of the more vicious-looking implements. "Spike, while I'm making the selections, you might start by breaking each of the fingers on her left hand."

Spike complied, and the entertaining background noises cheered Angelus immensely. He just wished he could perform some of the torture himself, but being present during the session was the next best thing. He turned away from the table with his first choice of weapon--a perfectly honed dagger. Maggie was slumped against the wall, gasping in pain, sweat beading her forehead. The enthralling sight did Angelus' little black heart good.

"Here you go, Spike." He presented the tool. "You were going to carve a design on Riley's face. Do it on Maggie's instead." Angelus stood back and watched while Spike painstakingly dragged the blade along the woman's cheek, etching the outline of a rose. "Very nice. Clear away some of the blood so I can get a better look."

Spike obediently licked it away as Angelus observed approvingly. "Very nice indeed. Excellent job. Hey! Maggie!"

His sharp tone attracted her attention and she cracked open her eyes.

"That's better. Maggie, are you sure you told the truth about the chip before? You want to revise your story?"

"No," she moaned.

Angelus shrugged. "Fine with me." He tossed Spike a cigarette lighter. "Be careful you don't set yourself on fire."

For another few minutes, the entertainment value of watching Maggie Walsh attain some nasty-looking burns satisfied Angelus. Then he decided to move on and chose a fresh knife for the next round. "Here, Spike." He handed over the instrument. "Some cuts would be good. Stomach area."

Spike followed those instructions and also used the riding crop, but Angelus frowned as he examined the handiwork. The whip marks were crooked, the gouges too shallow and poorly spaced. After a promising start, Spike had obviously lost his concentration.

When he turned around to accept his next implement, Angelus instead grabbed his arm and pulled him into the hallway. "Spike, you're doing an embarrassingly clumsy job. What is wrong with you?"

"Nothing," Spike muttered. "Just wondering what's the point of this exercise, is all. Bint's already told us what we want to know. Why not finish her off and have it over with?"

"Because the torture is *fun*. It's part of what we unlive for!"

Spike shrugged. "You, maybe. I'd as soon go take a nap."

Angelus shook his head. Sometimes he couldn't believe he and Spike were related. "Look, you have to work with me. I don't know if we can trust Maggie. She's quite cunning and clever as humans go, and she might well have lied about the chip. I want to see if a bit of torture makes her change her story."

"Oh, okay, if there's a purpose to it, then." Though clearly not into the scene, Spike dutifully trotted back into the room and resumed his work.

By that point, Maggie was semi-conscious and bleeding copiously. Angelus felt his fangs elongating as he struggled to restrain himself from "helping" Spike. A sharp pain shot through his head as the chip reacted to his evil thoughts. Much as Angelus wanted to stay, the blood lust was making it impossible. He slowly stepped back, edging toward the door. "Spike, I have to go upstairs. Keep working. But whatever else you do, *don't* kill her."

Leaving Maggie and Spike to the remainder of the torture session, Angelus reluctantly went upstairs and stretched out on the couch. The chip was still twitching, sending little sparks of agony throughout his head. Angelus tried to trick it by picturing sickeningly sweet images, like fields of wildflowers and cookie-baking grandmas and newborn puppies. Over and over, until the painful spasms died down and the chip was mollified. He could hardly wait until the damn thing was out of his head. Once he was sure he knew the secret to its safe removal, he'd probably make Spike hack it out the very next second. But not until he knew. Chances were high that Maggie Walsh couldn't be trusted.

He had considered the matter from every angle before Spike stalked into the room, a sullen expression plastered on his face. Angelus bolted upright. "What are you doing here? Did something go wrong with Maggie?"

"Nah, Walsh hasn't changed her story yet and it's getting pretty boring down there. How many times can you dig a hole in flesh before it starts to get old? What else do you want me to do to her?"

"I guess we've gone far enough. We'll have to move on to the fallback plan. I know a way we're guaranteed to learn the truth, straight from Maggie's mouth."

"What is it, and why didn't we try it before?"

"Because we had to do the fun part first. Now, it's simple, Spike: You turn Maggie, and as soon as she's playing for our side she'll be more than happy to give up all the Initiative secrets."

Spike cocked his head. "Not bad. Sounds like it'll work."

"Of course it will," Angelus said with all due modesty. "I thought of it."

Deciding he was settled enough to return downstairs, Angelus led the way back to the basement. However, the sight that greeted him and Spike provoked twin shouts of horror.

"How the hell did this happen?" Angelus stared in dismay at the terrible image of Maggie Walsh hanging against the wall, dead. She had strangled herself with her own chains. Angelus turned on Spike with a snarl. "I can't believe you were stupid enough to leave that much slack in the chains. Not to mention leaving her alone so she could off herself."

Spike snarled right back. "It's your own fault for not telling me what you had in mind. If I'd known the game plan, I wouldn't have left her to go find you and ask your intentions."

They were at an impasse. The vampires glowered at each other until a more pressing situation drew their attention. They heard footsteps overhead. Familiar footsteps. Buffy footsteps, that were coming closer with every second.

Spike groaned. "I thought you got rid of the Slayer for the night."

"So did I." Angelus winced. "Her timing just gets worse and worse. Whatever else happens, Buffy can't find us here like this." As her footsteps drew closer, he thought swiftly. He and Spike were stuck in a very vulnerable position, trapped in the basement with the dead body of the tortured Initiative leader chained to the wall. "Spike, stay here," Angelus ordered. "I'll keep Buffy away if possible, but I'll have to lock you in just in case she tries to snoop."

Giving Spike no chance to form the protest he surely intended, Angelus darted out of the room, slammed the door, and locked it. Then he strode over to the foot of the stairs to intercept Buffy, who had wandered dangerously close. She looked upset (which was good) and curious (which was not so good). Angelus pinned a fake innocent expression on his face as he greeted her. "Buffy, what a surprise to see you. I thought you were visiting with your mother and your friends tonight?"

"Been there, done that, didn't want to extend the experience." She sniffed the air. "Is that blood I smell? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine. I decided to store some blood down here because it's so cool and I accidentally spilled a few bags."

Buffy started to edge around him. "I can help you clean it up."

"It's already taken care of." Angelus grabbed her arm and firmly steered her back upstairs. "What happened with your mother and friends? Anything bad?" he asked optimistically.

"Yeah." Buffy slumped down on the couch, where Angelus joined her. "Everything bad. It could hardly have gone worse. I told the gang about you and me being back together and the reaction was pretty negative. Giles was so disappointed in me." She bit her lip and visibly steadied herself before going on. "So then I went to see Mom and she totally shut me out. In fact, she said I can't go home again unless I dump you. Which isn't going to happen. I can't let my mom run my life for me. When is she going to realize I'm an adult and I can make my own decisions?"

"So, basically you're estranged from everyone except me?"

Buffy nodded. "For the foreseeable future, anyway. I didn't have anywhere else to go tonight so I came back here. I didn't think you'd mind."

"No, of course not." Not when she came bearing such bad news. "I honestly didn't things would go so poorly." Beyond even his wildest dreams. "After all, what kind of mother would turn away her only child in such a cold manner?" Angelus shook his head. "Humans can be so cruel to each other."

Buffy looked so depressed at that observation, it boosted Angelus' mood even higher. She was alienated from her friends and family, thus fulfilling one of his primary goals. All he had left to do was to keep her dependent on him, get the chip taken care of, and then choose his moment to pounce. Angelus carefully selected the sappily comforting words he was sure the soul would have recited at such a trying moment. "There, there. You still have me, remember, and I'm not going anywhere."

***

The night from hell had taken an upswing. Buffy scooted over and leaned her head against Angel's shoulder. As long as he was with her, she'd manage. He'd promised not to leave this time and she believed him. She relaxed as Angel gently stroked the pulse point on her neck. Yes, she thought, nothing could tear her and Angel apart now. Except...a niggling doubt worked its way into Buffy's mind. Giles had raised the most troubling aspect of their relationship, the one that had bothered Buffy herself the most. What if Angel somehow turned back into Angelus? She had to admit, Giles and the others had legitimate concerns in that area.

Much as she tried to dismiss the thought from her brain, it refused to leave. Finally, Buffy forced herself to speak. "Angel?"

"Hmmm?"

"You aren't anywhere close to being perfectly happy, right?"

His hand paused in its soothing motion. "I can safely say 'no' to that."

"Oh. Good. I mean, not good in the sense that I don't want you to be happy, but good in the sense that you can't be happy or bad things will happen. Which, of course, you know as well as me and even if that particular bad thing did happen it would still be chipped like you and couldn't do any real damage." Buffy stopped and took a deep breath. "God, I'm making an idiot out of myself babbling like this. It must be because I'm tired. Sorry. Shutting up now."

"It's all right," Angel reassured her. "You had a long, hard day. I understand completely. Anyway, it's natural to worry."

Buffy twisted her head around to look up at him. "Are *you* worried about something?"

"I'm just concerned that my plans for our future won't work out."

The future. Right. Although Buffy rarely dwelled on it, the fact remained that her life expectancy was pretty damn short. What kind of future could Angel possibly be talking about? He'd live forever, and realistically, she could be dead tomorrow or the next day.

Well, she wouldn't point out the obvious flaw in his reasoning. It would only depress Angel, and Buffy didn't want to do that. Ever since his return, he'd been a little different than he used to be. Moodier, more prone to unexpected changes in temper. Occasionally, he seemed excessively angry or impatient, but those episodes always passed quickly and he returned to his usual quiet self. Then there were the moments when he appeared to be lost in thought about very unpleasant matters, to judge from the look on his face. Buffy supposed at times like those Angel was thinking about his friend Doyle, who had passed away recently. She knew he partially blamed himself for Doyle's death, although it hadn't really been his fault. Angel blamed himself for a lot of things that weren't his fault. His experiences in Los Angeles had definitely taken their toll on him, but he'd also worked toward redemption there. His time away had changed him, but it hadn't all been bad.

"Buffy." Angel nudged her out of her reverie. "You still with me?"

"Yeah, just thinking." She stifled a yawn. "What is it?"

"I was wondering what you're planning to do. I mean, since you're having so many problems with your friends I can't imagine you'd want to stay on campus with Willow any longer."

Buffy sighed. "No, not really. But it's not like I have much of a choice. I mean, if I'm going to keep going to college, I pretty much *have* to live on campus. Commuting takes too long and I already have so many demands on my time. I figure I can ask for a new roommate tomorrow and see what happens. And if worst comes to worst, I can try to get along with Willow. It's just that I can't help wondering if she and the others were right. Is being with you selfish of me?"

Angel slowly eased away and turned her around to face him. "Buffy, listen to me. I don't want you to let anyone make you feel guilty. Not your mother, not Giles, not Xander or Willow or anyone else. They can never fully understand what the life of a Slayer is like. The pressures you undergo and the decisions you're forced to make are like nothing any of them will ever experience. You have to be stronger than they could even imagine being. You need to stand up for yourself and what you believe in. A long time ago, you told me that was us. Do you still believe that?"

"Yes." Buffy nodded. "I do."

"It's settled, then, isn't it?"

As Angel's lips descended upon hers and he pressed her back against the couch cushions, Buffy's last rational thought was that maybe she wasn't so tired after all.

*****

The high-pitched beeping of an alarm clock woke both Buffy and Angelus in the morning, not so many hours after they had fallen asleep. With a groan, Buffy reached over to silence the wretched noise and began to struggle off the bed. Before she could escape, Angelus flipped over and pinned her down.

She squirmed against him. "What are you doing, Angel? I have to get ready for school."

"Surely you have a few minutes to spare." He was positive he knew a way around her half-hearted protest.

"Not really. It takes a while to get there, and... well, maybe," Buffy amended as Angelus began to nuzzle her throat. "Okay, I guess I do. It's not like I'm going to remember anything from the lectures anyway. Yeah, right there, that feels good... so good."

Having her right where he wanted her, Angelus extended his exploration to Buffy's neck, thinking ahead to the time when he would again be able to bite it. A good, visible mark should be placed right about... there, where he was currently licking. Perfect. He'd remember that spot down the road. Tentatively, he tested to see if he could already bite down when his intent was merely to mark. The responsive stinging pain informed him that the answer was a definite no. Even the mildest, most innocent nip seemed to be out of the question. Too bad. He'd only been able to mark Buffy once before, and that had been so long ago.

Buffy's slightly impatient voice reminded him they were on a schedule. "Angel, this is nice and all, but can you maybe hurry it up a little?"

That was certainly an insulting comment, but Angelus swallowed his annoyance. He knew Buffy was serious about leaving and she wouldn't allow him much time. At least they were both already naked, which saved precious seconds. Refusing to be hurried too much, Angelus shifted position and leisurely slid home, setting a moderate pace. But he had time for only a few slow thrusts before Buffy's hands began clawing at his back. Angelus sped up his pumping, realizing he'd have to make this faster than he had thought. Thankfully, with his increase in speed Buffy relaxed her grip, though her moans continued to urge him on. With one last thrust Angelus felt himself coming and reached down to help nudge Buffy over the edge with him. They lay in a dazed heap for a few quiet moments before she stirred and pushed at his shoulders.

"I have to get up, Angel. I'm going to be really late if I don't hurry."

He reluctantly rolled away and collapsed against the pillows, a temporarily satisfied demon. With one eye slit open, Angelus watched Buffy scramble around the room, scooping up clothes, books, papers, and other odds and ends. As she shoved the things into her gym bag, she informed him, "I'm going to take a quick shower and then get going, so I'll say goodbye now. Remember, I might not be back to see you until tonight because I have such a full day today." She ran over and pressed a kiss to his lips. "Bye!"

Angelus made a mental note of that important scheduling information and took a short, much-needed nap while Buffy was in the shower. After he heard her dress and leave, he forced himself to get up. Though more sleep would have been welcome, he, too, had a busy day ahead. Releasing Spike from the basement was an unpleasant, if necessary, first step.

Sure enough, Angelus was faced with one pissed-off, disheveled-looking vampire when he got around to unlocking the basement door.

Spike scowled at him as he shoved his way outside. "Sure took your time remembering me, didn't you?"

"I let you out as soon as I safely could, Spike," Angelus informed him.

"Yeah, well, doesn't seem like a fair trade to me. While you were upstairs shagging the Slayer half the night, I was stuck in the torture chamber from hell with a body half full of stale blood. Next time, we oughta trade places."

The words had barely left his mouth before Angelus reflexively vamped out and slammed Spike into the wall, pinning him into place. "Don't even joke about that, Spike. The Slayer's mine."

Spike cast his eyes downward. "Okay, fine, no argument here. So, what do we do now?"

Since Spike had backed down without any effort at a fight, Angelus eased up. "Me. Chip. Head. Time to get it out. And then, we play...."

*****

As Buffy anticipated, Angel made her late for class. Not that she was complaining. The dry history lecture was nearly unbearable on the best of days, which this one was probably not fated to be, and any good excuse to miss even a few minutes of it was more than welcome. As matters stood, she narrowly avoided falling asleep midway through and had rarely been more grateful to have a class end. The second the professor dismissed his students, she bolted for the door.

It was time to check with the office of student life about possibly getting a new roommate. As she cut across campus, though, Buffy almost walked straight into her current roommate.

Both girls stopped short, with Willow recovering enough to speak first. "Buffy. Hi."

"Hi," Buffy responded. "Um. Well. Gee, this is so uncomfortable."

Willow nodded. "Total agreement here. Look, about last night, I feel pretty bad. I mean, in a way I'm happy for you and Angel, but then again, Giles wasn't so happy and I understand his reasoning. But you're my friend and I don't want you to feel like I'm ganging up with the others against you. It isn't that, it's more like I'm concerned about you. We all are. Sure, if Angelus came back he couldn't do anything bad physically but his mind games were always one of the most dangerous things about him. None of us wants to go through any of that again and it would be harder on you than on anyone else."

"I totally understand that you're all concerned about me," Buffy agreed. "But it isn't going to change my mind. I'm with Angel and that's that. Don't worry, though, I'm not going to ask you to choose sides. I know that isn't fair. So I think it's best if we establish a little distance. I'm going to try to get a new roommate for the rest of the year and that should take a lot of pressure off both of us."

Willow couldn't help looking both relieved and guilty. "So that's that, then?"

"Yep. Okay?"

"I guess. I'll see you around, though?"

"Sure. I'll still patrol and all that." Despite her best efforts, Buffy was barely managing to hold herself together and she began to edge away from Willow before she could fall apart. "I guess that's it for now."

"Yeah, right." Willow stood there awkwardly, then burst out, "Oh, Buffy, wait. Did you hear the news about Riley?"

Buffy turned back to her, curiosity piqued. "What about him? Does he have a new girlfriend?" She sincerely hoped so. It might make life easier for her and Angel if Riley had a fresh distraction.

Willow shook her head. "No, this is serious. He was attacked last night when he was out with Professor Walsh. He got hit over the head and dumped at some stranger's house. Professor Walsh is still missing."

"Wow. That's awful. Is Riley going to be all right? Do they know who did it?"

"He has a concussion but he should be fine. From what I heard, they were in the woods and heard a noise, then that's all Riley remembered when he woke up in the hospital. He's lucky he didn't get killed."

"Yeah. That is so weird. Do you think a demon was involved in the attack?"

"Riley's injury didn't sound demony," Willow clarified. "Just a regular ol' clock on the head, and not a bite mark to be seen. Besides, why would a demon let him go? It would have killed him without a second thought."

"Good point. Well, thanks for letting me know." With the mental distraction provided by Willow's news, Buffy was able to bid her friend farewell more easily than she would have thought possible. It seemed her schedule had become even more crowded. Somehow, she had to cram in a visit to Riley. The mysterious attack on him and Maggie Walsh had raised a red flag.

*****

Spike gave Angelus a look full of skepticism. "Sure you want to risk removing the chip already? We have no way of telling if Walsh was lying. Maybe we can still find another Initiative figure who knows the truth."

Angelus shook his head. "I've waited too long already. I want this chip taken care of today. No delays, no excuses, no hesitation. And you, Spike, are instrumental in my plan. Here's what I need you to do: Go out through the sewers, grab hold of any vampire you can find who used to be a doctor, and beg, borrow, or steal all the human blood you can get your hands on. Make it quick. We have to pull this off before Buffy comes back."

"Not likely," Spike stated flatly. "Slayer could be back any second, for all you know. She could walk in right in the middle of the set-up."

"I've thought about that possibility," Angelus informed him. "She has a long day at school, multiple personal problems courtesy of me, and a commute on top of that. Don't look for her before this evening, if all goes badly."

"Ha!" Spike scoffed. "That gives us, what, maybe a whole 12 hours to pull all the factors together, get that chip dug out of you, and get you recovered to the point where the Slayer doesn't know what we were up to? Not gonna happen."

"We're wasting time as we stand here and argue," Angelus pointed out. "You're right, we have no chance at this rate. So get moving." Refusing to take no for an answer, he ushered Spike outside and prepared himself for a wait.

*****

Meanwhile, Buffy had carved enough time out of her crowded schedule to pay a visit to Riley at the hospital, where he was being held for a day or so for observation.

"Hey!" Riley's face lit up when he recognized his visitor and he tossed aside the copy of "Country Living" he'd been reading. "Buffy, it's great to see you."

"Hi, Riley." Buffy pulled an uncomfortable orange chair near the side of his bed and sat down. "I heard about what happened to you and Professor Walsh and I wanted to tell you how sorry I am."

"Yeah, well." Riley pointed to the big white bandage on his head. "Concussion. I'll be okay. It's Professor Walsh I'm worried about. Anything could have happened to her by now."

"What exactly did happen, Riley? I've heard secondhand accounts, but I'd like to get the story straight from you."

"Not much to tell, really," he admitted. "Professor Walsh and I were at one of the Initiative stations on the east side of town near Witland Cemetery, we decided to patrol a little, and we heard this noise behind us like a tree branch snapping, so something was definitely out there. We turned around to check it out and I don't remember anything else till I woke up here in the hospital. I didn't see a thing that could help the police. It was too dark and it happened too fast."

"Not a mugging?" Buffy asked, hoping it had been. Only in Sunnydale was the possibility of a mugging a relatively pleasant option.

"Not a mugging." Riley pointed to his wrist. "My watch wasn't stolen. In fact, nothing on me was taken. Not that I was carrying much, but it wasn't touched."

Buffy thought out loud. "If it wasn't a mugging, it may have been personal, like someone wanted Professor Walsh for a reason. Because they let you go and kept her."

"Not just let me go," Riley reminded her. "We were attacked in the middle of the woods. Whoever did it brought me to some guy's house on Linden Street. He said he was up late, he heard the doorbell, so he looked on the porch and there I was with no one else in sight. Weird, huh?"

"Yeah. Too weird," Buffy agreed. "I really don't like the sound of this."

Riley leaned toward her. "You want to know what I think? I'm sure a demon was behind it all."

*****

As Buffy was growing ever more curious about Maggie Walsh's abduction, an oblivious Angelus and Spike were back at the mansion basement, preparing for surgery.

Angelus studied the quivering minion Spike had selected to perform the operation. "Are you *sure* this thing used to be a doctor?" The pathetic creature was so terrified, he wouldn't even open his mouth in Angelus' presence. The reaction was simultaneously flattering and troublesome.

"Hey, he was the best I could do on short notice," Spike defended himself. "You try going outside during the day, creeping through sewer tunnels, trying to lay low while on a strict schedule with two incredibly difficult tasks to perform, and see how well it turns out for you. I'm betting not especially. Doc Roger'll do. And if he doesn't, I get to demolish him. Either way, I win."

Angelus grumbled but gave in without further argument. Begging vamps couldn't be choosy vamps. "Let's get on with it. Hand me some blood first. I want to be as strong as possible before we start."

Spike passed over a heavy bag of AB negative. "Drink up. Plenty more where that came from."

Angelus drained the first bag and reached out for another one. "Tell me again what has to be done so I know you remembered."

"Incision, left side of head." Spike indicated the spot for the doctor vampire's benefit. "Chip should be right there, knob's on the top, push the knob to the left, remove chip. Nightmare over. Ready?"

Angelus frowned, deep in thought as he finished his second blood bag and positioned himself flat on his back on the makeshift operating table. He didn't like what he was hearing. True, Spike had parroted the instructions Maggie Walsh had given, but something about them didn't ring true. "Wait, Spike," he ordered. "That's wrong. I think Walsh lied. When you see the top of the chip, push it to the right instead of the left."

Spike raised a brow. "You sure? Taking an awfully big risk there."

"Listen to me. I think I'm right."

Spike looked at the doctor. "You heard him. Oh, by the way, Angelus, if for some reason anything goes wrong and you wind up a vamp vegetable or worse, I want to set your mind at rest. I'll be sure to take care of the Slayer for you so your efforts won't have been in vain."

A low growl rose from Angelus' chest "You won't do anything to Buffy without my approval."

"Sure, but if you aren't around I don't need to worry about getting it, do I." Spike stood back and motioned for the doctor to make his first incision.

As the scalpel sliced into his head, Angelus forced himself to remain still. He had a lot riding on the outcome of this operation. Actually, not just a lot. More like his entire future as a vicious, blood-sucking creature of the night with a reputation to live down to. Besides which, he had to pull through if only so he could finish the job he had begun with Buffy. If he didn't do it, Spike had professed himself more than willing to take up the reins. And the way Angelus saw it, Spike was veering dangerously close to becoming a liability.

*****

Finished with classes for the day, Buffy slowly headed back to Willow's dorm room. It was one of the last places she wanted to be, but she didn't have much of a choice. Arriving outside, she tapped on the closed door.

She heard the sound of the lock turning and then Willow opened the door. "Buffy. Hi. Did you lose your key?"

"No, I still have it. I just didn't think I should walk in on you without knocking after everything that's happened."

Willow stepped back, allowing Buffy to enter the room. "Did you come here to move your stuff out? Not that I want to rush you or anything. I'm just curious, 'cause you said you were going to see about getting a new room."

"Actually, there's kind of been a snag in that whole operation. I asked about changing roommates and everyone else is all matched up. I could get a private room but that would cost a lot more than I'm paying now and there's no way I can afford it. So the only other thing to do is try to find someone else who wants to switch and exchange with her, only that could take a long time even if it works out. Meanwhile, I'd have to stay here."

"Buffy, you know that's all right," Willow assured her. "I never wanted things to get so bad in the first place."

"Okay, well, it probably won't be for too long." Unsure of what else to say, Buffy turned away and grabbed her overnight bag. She'd already told Angel she'd be returning to the mansion that night, which meant she wouldn't have to hang around the dorm feeling awkward again until at least the following evening.

"Oh, before I forget." Willow called her back to attention and handed Buffy a torn scrap of paper. "Cordelia called a couple of hours ago. She said she's been trying to get in touch with Angel and hasn't been able to so she decided to try you instead. She wants you to call her back."

"Right. Lovely. Might as well get that out of the way." Buffy dialed the number and waited.

"Angel Investigations," Cordelia answered in a professional tone of voice.

"Hi, Cordelia, it's Buffy."

The polite veneer stripped away, Cordelia snapped, "It's about time. Do you have any idea how much trouble I've had getting through to you and Angel?"

"Is something wrong?" Buffy interjected.

"You mean, aside from the fact that Angel left me and Wesley high and dry to try to run the business that bears *his* name? And you know what adds insult to injury? Angel hasn't even bothered to phone us in I don't remember how long, and whenever I try to call his cell phone I can't get through. How can he not know how to work the thing? It isn't *that* complicated. It was even like pulling teeth to get in touch with you. I mean, I called your house first and your mom--let's just say 'frigid' did not begin to describe her reaction. So she said to call Angel if I was looking for you, which of course has been impossible, which I told her, and then she said to try the dorm, which I also did only you weren't there either, and I had to wait until now for you to bother to call me back."

Cordelia paused for breath, and Buffy seized the opportunity to get a few words in. "Look, do you have a message I can pass on to Angel?"

"Did you just hear *nothing* I said?" Cordelia sighed loudly. "Right, have him call me back. We have a lot to talk about."

"Okay, goodbye." Buffy quickly replaced the receiver. It was the same old Cordelia, all right. She looked at Willow, who raised an eyebrow. "I definitely have to see Angel. I should give him Cordelia's message, plus I need to talk to him about the attack on Riley and Professor Walsh." Buffy swiftly packed her overnight bag and departed for the mansion.

*****

The chip was out, but something was terribly wrong. Hours after the operation's conclusion, Angelus remained in pain. Great waves of it washed over him, originating in his head and sweeping all the way down to his toes. He forced his eyes open as Spike returned to the room to check on him. "Did that idiot do the job right?"

"Guess so," Spike offered. "Went straight for the chip, turned it the way you said, popped it out. No wrong moves that I could see. Why?"

"I don't feel right." Angelus held onto the edge of the table to ground himself.

"You shouldn't have told me to dust that minion right after the operation," Spike chided. "Sure, he can't run and tell anyone what he witnessed, but he also can't help you."

Angelus ignored those useless words. He had a feeling he was beyond the aid of a lowly minion. "Get me more blood. Lots of it."

Spike handed over a bag and helped Angelus prop himself up to drink it. Even after three bags, though, Angelus felt only slightly better. "That Walsh bitch must have had some sort of kicker built in just in case I figured out how to remove the chip. If she was still alive, I'd eviscerate her on the spot."

"You'd be too weak," Spike pointed out. "You can barely hold yourself up."

Angelus scowled. Spike was right, but he couldn't afford to be laid up for long. It could ruin all of his careful planning. "It's past sunset," he realized through the haze of pain. "You have to leave, Spike. Buffy could come back at any minute."

"Leave you in this condition?"

"That's what I said, isn't it? Now help me upstairs. You can go right after that. I don't want to see you again until tomorrow night. With a little luck, I can use Buffy to get me fixed up and I'll be recovered enough for us to go out hunting then."

Spike shrugged and helped haul Angelus into the living room to settle down on the couch. "Don't say I didn't warn you." Upon that cheerful line, he was gone.

For the next half-hour, Angelus lay still and tried to regain some strength. However, it was a losing proposition and he was quite relieved when he heard the front door open, signaling Buffy's arrival. Time to kick his newest plot into gear. He was counting on her to save him.

"Angel?" she called. "Where are you?"

"The couch," he answered.

Her footsteps approached and then Buffy appeared before him. "Hi, Angel. How was your day?" Just after speaking, she got her first good look at him, and her eyes widened. "You look awful. What happened? Were you attacked again?"

"No, nothing like that. I drank some blood and started to feel unsteady, so I decided to lie down but I keep feeling worse."

"What could have caused this?"

Angelus certainly couldn't tell the truth, so he had to invent a plausible excuse for his extreme weakness. What came out of his mouth was, "I think I drank tainted blood. Animal isn't always the best quality."

Buffy cocked her head. "I thought vampires were pretty much immune to sickness?"

"Most kinds. But not all. Remember the time I was poisoned?"

"Yeah." Buffy knelt by his side. "Do you think that happened again?"

"Not poison, but it's something bad."

"Should I get you more blood? I can try Willy's."

She was sure to get him that shitty pig stuff. Or possibly cow, unless he protested. "I don't trust animal blood now," Angelus informed Buffy. "If a local supply has been contaminated, it could just make me worse."

"Human, then," she offered. "I know Willy stocks human blood. I'll make him send some over. Where's your cell phone? I'll call him."

"Drawer." Angelus pointed. He'd been hoping Buffy would offer up some of her own blood, but she hadn't even seemed to think of the idea. Well, he'd slowly but surely maneuver her around to his way of thinking.

He watched as Buffy crossed the room and pulled the cell phone out of the indicated location. "Why do you have it turned off? No wonder Cordelia couldn't reach you."

"I don't like cell phones." Angelus failed to add the fact that he simply had no interest in talking to Cordelia, one of his least favorite people *ever*. He would take great pleasure in eating her when the day arrived.

Buffy immediately made the call to Willy, threatening him into making a rush delivery of top-quality blood to the mansion. Finished, she turned back to Angelus. "Do you feel up to talking while we're waiting for the blood?"

"Yeah. It distracts me from the pain a little."

"Good. I have a lot to report." Buffy settled herself on the leather chair and began. "First, the big news is that Riley and Professor Walsh were attacked last night. Riley was hit on the head and dumped on a stranger's doorstep. He's in the hospital with a concussion but he should recover fine. Professor Walsh is still missing, though. Riley thinks a demon might have been behind the attack. It's possible, because of the Initiative and all, only we can't figure out why whoever it was let Riley go."

"He didn't see his attacker?"

Buffy shook her head. "He has no clue who it was. Bur I thought it might tie in with the reason you came to Sunnydale. Remember, you said you heard a rumor about some demons building a secret weapon? Maybe they need Professor Walsh's Initiative knowledge to finish it."

Considering the fact that the demon-weapon story had been a fabrication, Angelus didn't even have to lie when he informed Buffy, "No connection comes to mind."

"Well, it was a longshot anyway. Other news. I'm going to have some trouble switching roommates. It's more complicated than I thought so I'll have to stay with Willow for a while yet. But that's not all bad. At least she knows about me being the Slayer and I won't have to make up excuses for her like I always did with my first roommate."

With an effort, Angelus concealed his disappointment. He'd been counting on separating Buffy from her friends and family so she would be left only with him. If she continued to room with Willow, his job would be more difficult. Nothing he couldn't overcome, though. He listened intently as Buffy went on.

"Last but not least, Cordelia called me at the dorm. She's not so happy because you haven't been in touch with her for a while. When you're feeling up to it, you should give her a call and straighten things out." Buffy studied Angelus again. "Are you feeling better yet?"

"Not really."

"Where is that blood?" Buffy went to open the front door and look outside. "There's a car coming. I bet that's it."

Angelus listened as the vehicle drew to a stop and Buffy went to greet the driver. A couple of minutes later, she returned with a box of blood bags.

"Here you go." She handed him one off the top. "I bet this will fix you right up."

Already pretty confident that it wouldn't, Angelus nonetheless savored the sweet taste of human blood, so much finer than the tasteless animal diet the soul had kept him on. He finished off two bags and lay back.

Buffy's concerned voice reached his ears. "Did that help?"

"No. I don't think this blood will do it."

"Oh." Buffy looked lost. "I don't know what else to do. Except I guess I could call Giles and see if he'll help."

Time for phase two of his plan. "I know something that might work, but.... No," Angelus stated firmly. "Forget it. It's a bad idea."

Exactly as he had expected, Buffy grabbed the bait. "What? What is it? You can tell me. I want to know how to help you."

"No, it isn't fair to you."

"Angel, you have to tell me what you're thinking about. I can't stand seeing you in pain and if you know something that could help, you can't keep it secret. I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you because you thought you couldn't confide in me."

"When you put it like that, how can I continue to refuse?" Angelus looked at Buffy from under his lashes in a move that had taken much practice, especially since he couldn't see his reflection in the mirror to refine it. "Ordinary human blood obviously isn't strong enough to help me. But Slayer blood probably would be."

"Oh." Buffy stared at him. "Well, that's logical."

"Of course, I could never ask that of you," Angelus promptly stated.

"Yes, you can," Buffy insisted, growing more convinced in the face of his resistance. "I have plenty of blood. I was fine the last time you drank some, and I'll be fine again this time. You're in better shape now so you won't even need to take as much." She rolled up her right sleeve and held her wrist to his face before hesitating. "Wait. Should I get a knife to make the cut?"

"Since you're willing, the chip probably shouldn't go off," Angelus explained. Wasting no time, he leaned forward and bit down. Perfect. His fangs smoothly sank through the flesh and the powerful Slayer blood flowed into his mouth. He could feel the pain dissolving after only a few gulps. Already, there was no question that he would be healed and ready to hunt by the following evening.

*****

Angelus was ready and waiting when Spike strode into the mansion the next evening. Spike was obviously more than prepared, too. He had made a concerted effort to hide his identity, by wearing an Oakland A's baseball cap and sunglasses combined with a dark-blue jacket.

"Great disguise, Spike," Angelus acknowledged while trying to hold back his laughter.

"Yeah, well, I don't want to be recognized, especially while I'm with you. That would blow all our plans. Speaking of which, you're looking much better today."

"I'm all set to go out. I managed to convince Buffy to stay on campus for the night to study for some big test tomorrow, so the coast is clear. Tonight's little excursion should prove whether the operation was a complete success. Last night I was able to bite Buffy without any pain, but she was willing. That could make a difference."

"You fed off of the Slayer again? Save any for me?"

Spike's tone was light, but Angelus had the uneasy feeling that it contained an underlying seriousness. "I've told you, *boy*, Buffy is mine. Understood?"

Again, Spike backed down. "Of course it's understood. You've said it before."

"Good. Now, come on. We're going hunting. Or more precisely, *I* am. Spike, you're my backup. I want to dredge up a nice, non-deserving victim and test myself out on that individual. If for any reason I am unable to perform, it becomes your responsibility to finish off said victim so no human record of my failure exists."

Spike cleared his throat. "I hate to bring up the subject again, but what if the Slayer happens to turn up here while we're out and decides to come looking for you?"

"Hmm. Good point. Buff does have an unpleasant habit of dropping by unexpectedly. I'll have to leave her an excruciatingly cute little note that should cover my ass." Angelus located a piece of paper and a pen and scrawled, "Dear Buffy, went patrolling for you tonight. Stay in and study!!! Love, Angel." He critically surveyed the words. "That ought to do it. Or should I draw a little heart on the bottom? ... Nah. That'd be overkill." He propped the note on the mantel and headed for the door. "Oh, and Spike, don't forget the tool kit."

Spike grabbed the indicated duffle bag and nearly dropped it. "What's in this thing? Weighs enough."

Angelus grinned. "With a little luck, you'll find out."

The two vampires set off into the night.

*****

From their perch atop the roof of an old hardware store, Angelus and Spike observed the pedestrians on Center Street, a rough neighborhood on the east side of town. The hiding spot was a necessary precaution. Even though Spike was wearing a decent disguise, Angelus wanted to be seen with him as little as possible. Where they were positioned, they could study the passersby with virtually no fear of being spotted themselves. So far, they were having little luck with their search for a suitable victim for Angelus.

Spike waved at yet another prospect. "That one looks right."

Angelus eyed the fleshy human stumbling along the dimly lim street. "Too fat. And too drunk. Wouldn't taste very good."

"How 'bout that one over there, then?"

"Too skinny. Not much of a meal."

"That one?"

"Too old. The blood'll be off."

Temporarily giving up, Spike scooted back from the edge of the roof and glared at Angelus. "Since when did you become such a picky eater?"

"I prefer to use the term 'discriminating.' Only the best will do for my first kill in far too long. Look for someone sober and young. But not too young. Say, in her late teens or early 20s."

With a final hard stare, Spike turned back to the search. Angelus joined him, eyes gliding over and eliminating person after person until he finally zeroed in on the one he wanted. She was perfect. His prospective meal was a young blonde woman with a better than passing resemblance to Buffy. She would be excellent practice.

Angelus nudged Spike. "Over there. The woman moving to the right, towards the alley."

They drew back from the edge of the roof and made their way down the fire escape at the side of the building, lithely jumping to the ground. Spike, still toting the "tool kit," dropped behind to allow Angelus to stalk his prey. Not that the task looked like it would require much effort. The woman was strolling along almost aimlessly, not seeming to care that she was alone at night in a town known for numerous violent killings of those who walked unescorted in the dark. Angelus figured her death was only fair; anyone that stupid didn't deserve to live. And she wouldn't.

He chose his moment to pounce, waiting until the idiot was next to the mouth of the alley before he darted forward and snatched her. In a flash, his fangs were positioned at her throat, piercing the tender flesh and draining away her life. He felt no pain--just sweet triumph and the taste of rushing blood. The meal didn't last long enough, of course, but it was a solid first step. Reluctantly, Angelus withdrew his fangs and allowed the body to drop as he licked his lips, catching up a few stray drops of blood.

Spike was applauding him. "That was beautiful. Just beautiful. Now we can move on to killing the Slayer."

"No, it's too soon."

"Too soon?" Spike stared at him. "What does it take? You know, I'm beginning to think you don't have any intention of killing her. Maybe you went soft while the soul was in control."

"I have *not* gone soft!" Angelus collected himself, determined not to let Spike's taunts get to him. "I have a plan. Unlike you, I have the intelligence and the patience to think up a good one and follow through on it. And my plan goes something like this: I get the chip out, I wipe out Riley and the rest of the Initiative, and then I take care of Buffy. Which is not to say that I haven't been working on her all along, in subtle yet ultimately devastating ways. I've managed to estrange her from her friends and family and make her increasingly dependent on me as a source of support. When the time comes to take out the Slayer, her downfall will be spectacular."

"Oh. Well, you could have kept me more in the loop about your progress," Spike muttered. "So are we going after Riley now?"

"Exactly. According to Buffy, he was set to be released from the hospital today. My best guess is that he's running around madly trying to dig up clues as to the identity of Maggie Walsh's abductor. We should be able to find him somewhere around town. It's just a matter of time."

Angelus and a subdued Spike set off once more, scanning graveyards for any sign of Riley. On their fifth one, they met with success. A lone human and a blue demon were locked in combat near a large crypt. The human, about to be slaughtered by the demon, pulled out a stun gun and blasted his opponent at close range.

Spike pointed. "Is that who I think it is?"

Angelus nodded. "Indeed it is. Riley Finn has fallen right into our laps. All we have to do is stop him from escaping. I think it's best if I approach him. I can distract his attention and disarm him. After that, he'll be helpless and all ours."

Spike strained his ears. "Now's as good a time as any. I don't hear any other heartbeats, so he must have come out alone."

"Good." Angelus strode forward, making no effort to hide his approach. Riley had shoved the stunned demon up against the crypt and was evidently attempting to force information out of the creature. He was so absorbed in his efforts that he didn't even notice Angelus' presence until the demon's eyes rolled sideways and alerted him.

"Stop right there!" Riley lunged for his gun.

Before he could grasp it, Angelus held up his hands. "Wait! I have a message from Buffy."

Riley hesitated, hand poised over the butt of the gun. "What kind of message?"

"She caught the demons she thinks were behind the attack on you and Professor Walsh. She sent me to find you." Angelus studied Riley's eyes and could tell the exact second when his rival swallowed the lie.

"Show me," Riley ordered, moving away from the fallen demon.

"Gladly." In one smooth motion, Angelus knocked away the gun and grabbed Riley by the throat, pinning him against the crypt. Automatically, his fingers began to tighten around Riley's windpipe. "Don't worry, this isn't going to hurt... me."

TBC

Special thanks for Tariq for all the reviews.