At first Buffy had thought Spike, Dru, and Angel were awfully stupid to actually put up their new little hangout right next to the one Giles had burned down not-so-long-ago. But as she mulled over it, she realized that it was rather ingenious in a way. Certainly she would never think to look for them in that sagging place of a structure, especially since it was right next to the remains of the factory wreckage. It just seemed very unlikely.
So of course they would trudge on over here and set up camp. Buffy was so awed that her sensing powers were working that she ran as fast as she could to the warehouse where she felt the vampire sense the strongest.
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Drusilla spun around several times before coming up behind Xander. She took a long nail and traced it slowly up his side, until it was resting just above his neck. She leaned in, and just brushed her lips alongside his ear. "Ooh, this will be fun," she giggled.
"Well, I wasn't sure if it would wok, but I guess it did," Angel said with a devilish smile, standing up from his chair. Spike stuck his legs out in Angel's path, but the vampire simply stepped casually over it. Spike glared at him as Angel went up to Xander.
Xander didn't budge as Angel slapped him heartily on the back. He just grinned and watched as Drusilla danced away from the two and into Spike's wheelchair-bound lap. "There will be short times to do many a thing," she told the inhabitants of the warehouse.
Angel turned to Xander, still firmly holding onto his shoulder. "So, how's it feel to be evil?" he asked.
"Couldn't be better," Xander growled. He morphed back into his human face and let his eyes roam across the large room they were standing in. "You've got quite a place here," he commented dryly.
"It'll do for now," Angel said, letting his eyes roam also. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his tight pants. "For now."
" * So * ," Spike said in one loud breath, starting to roll towards them. Angel narrowed his eyes, but Xander studied the handicapped demon with curiosity. "I suppose he's on of * us * now?" He jerked his fingers towards Research Boy.
"Yup," Xander answered. He wiggled his eyebrows. "Ready for the competition, Spike?"
Angel laughed aloud as Spike narrowed his eyes. "I like your new self already," he told the newest member of the Fang Gang. "And I can bet you're gonna like it around here."
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Buffy was crouched behind several rusted pieces of the decaying catwalk, high above anyone's view. Her fingers wrapped even tighter around the metal sidings as she watched Xander, who was palling around with a Angel, fawned over by Drusilla, and getting evil looks cast by Spike. He was acting just like he had been around the trio forever, and they were readily accepting him.
Buffy's eyes teared up. Giles, Willow, and Oz were still in the library, armed with stakes, crosses, and holy water, in case Xander cared to pay a visit. Oz had been comforting Willow when Buffy had closed the back door behind her, but she suspected that the hacker would realize by now that Xander had already died. This demon was not him.
Buffy also realized that it was the same case-in-point for Angel. This new demon in his body was Angelus, not the man she had fallen in love with. But she could not realize that-and perhaps Willow would never realize who Xander was.
She reached into her coat pocket and grabbed one of her stakes. She planned to jump off the catwalk, knock Xander down, and possibly get him * and * Angel in one strike. Maybe even add Drusilla in, if at all possible. Spike didn't seem like much of a threat at the moment.
But plans don't always go as planned.
Someone came up from behind and punched her in the head. Dazed, she turned around in time to deflect another blow that would have certainly taken her out. The vampire who was attacking her obviously had brawns but no brain, and she was easily dodging his strong hits, without disturbing the catwalk in the least and without a sound from Clumsy.
Meanwhile . . .
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Angel was making some cracks at Spike's condition for Xander and Dru's amusement. Spike was glaring at he world, and Xander didn't blame him. Angel was acting pretty harsh. But god was it hilarious.
"" Angel said, laughing uproariously. He turned to Xander. "True, don't you think?"
Xander nodded. ""
"Hey!" Spike said. " * You * better not make fun of me, you wanker. Just who do you think you are?"
"Aw, let him have some fun, Spike," Angel said, patting Xander on the shoulder. "He's one of us, now."
Suddenly there was the faintest of all sounds up on the catwalk. All four vampires shot their heads up.
"It's * her * ," Dru moaned, putting a fluttering hand up to her head. "She has intentions on destruction . . . again!"
"So she * does * ," Angel said, smirking. He put a fatherly hand on Xander's shoulder. "How do you feel about fighting * her * ?" he asked, looking up at the catwalk and watching the oblivious slayer.
Xander eyed Angel's hand on his shoulder. Slowly, his face vamped out. He reached into his pant pocket and pulled out a thin stake that fit easily in his hand. "I'd feel fine," he said, right before he moved to plunge in into Angelus' heart.
Suddenly Angel whirled around and grabbed Xander's hand, thrusting it over his head. His vampire smile was almost as disgusting as the fleshy ridges sitting on his forehead. "Sometimes," he told Xander, "even a vampire can't trick a vampire."
Xander's eyes widened as Angel kicked him hard in the shin, causing him to bend over in pain. Still holding his arm, Angel kicked him in the face, and then used his arm to propel him across the room. Xander howled in pain as he slid to a halt in front of Spike's wheelchair.
"Ooh, goody!" Drusilla said happily, clapping her hands together and watching with large eyes as Angel came and picked Xander up off the floor, throwing him back by the catwalk. Spike sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance.
Xander landed hard on the ground, and the pain that reverberated through him cause him to come out in full vamp-mode. The strength and anger of the demon that only 1/3 inhabited him came out with it's strength and rage, and most of all, it's power to heal itself very quickly. As Angelus came up from behind, Xander jumped to his feet and met his foe with a staggering punch to the chest.
Angel was taken aback, but he retaliated with his own demon powers. He punched Xander in the face, bruising the flesh with his hard knuckles. Xander didn't move, and instead knocked Angel to the ground, getting on top of him and pummeling him with his fists. After several good knocks Angel got on top, and the younger, weaker vampire grunted with anger as he tried to get the upper-hand.
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This vampire was coming on pretty strong. Buffy had to dodge all his well-aimed advances, and she couldn't even understand him because he was grunting in German or something. She had dropped her stake awhile back somewhere she had forgotten, and whenever she tried to reach into her coat for more, the vampire would throw her of completely and she'd end up doing the fisticuffs routine. This vampire was intent on bagging a Slayer.
Buffy grunted-quietly-as she finally grabbed one thick arm. She twisted it and watched the vampire fall hard on his back. She had enough time to pull out a stake and plunge it into his heart, and Clumsy was dust before he could even utter a sound of surprise or pain.
"You were a good fight," she consoled the setting dust. Then she stepped on it, as to mark her territory.
The one thing a slayer should always check is if her shoes are tied, because if they are untied, wackiness can ensue. Such as tripping over them, losing your balance, leaning on a guardrail for support-the guardrail then breaks, causing you to fall about two floors down onto the warehouse floor where four vampires are engrossed in a fight. Which, of course, is exactly what happened to Buffy.
Buffy landed cat-like on all fours, not a hair on her head disheveled or one nail broken. She quickly stood up, and even before she had time to absorb her surroundings, she was knocked back down again.
Buffy fell on her shoulder, and loudly exclaimed her pain. Angel and Xander, who were still engrossed in the fight, were completely unaware of her.
Since the two brawling vampires were almost on top of her, she truly didn't care why there were fighting. All she noticed was that Angel and Xander had broken up for the moment, and Xander was the closest vampire next to her. She quickly grabbed yet another stake and rolled over onto her side until she was right next to him. Rolling up on top, she plunged her stake home.
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Xander had finally managed to toss Angel off of him. At first, Xander had tried choking him, but quickly realized that vampires didn't breath. Then he concentrated on beating him to a bloody pulp, which had finally made the vampire roll off of him. Now, as he was just about to rise up, he was knocked down again.
In a blur, Buffy was on top of him. Dammit, she had found him. He was hoping that they wouldn't come into the office and discover his disappearance before he had annihilated Angel. Now, it seemed, that the Scooby Gang minus a member had indeed, and they had sent the Slayer. Everything was going wrong.
Xander opened his mouth to tell Buffy everything was fine when he saw her pull out the stake. Immediately he tried to sit up and get out of the way, but Buffy was steadfast. She pushed him back to the ground and plunged her stake into his flesh.
As Xander felt the wood go through him, he looked up into Buffy's sad eyes. His own were cluttered with anger, pain, and disbelief. She hadn't, she hadn't, she hadn't . . .