Damphyr 2 - Quest
by Colleen Hillerup

The rest of the staff were out at Angel Investigations so Buffy's vampire ex-boyfriend was
holding down the store. He didn't mind; even though Wesley now ran the agency, many clients
still wanted to see Angel himself. He looked up from his desk, shocked to see the last two
people he would ever have expected step through his door.

The woman Angel loved stood before him, her husband's arm wrapped around her shoulder.
"Angelus," Spike said, "We need a detective."

"Ah, hi, yeah, a detective, um, you're in the right place." Angel attempted to regain his composure. "Welcome to Angel Investigations. I wish I could get you a coffee, but Cordy's gone out to grab some dinner and the boys are out demon hunting." He stepped out from behind the lobby desk and put his arms around Buffy. "It's so good to see you. You too, Spike," he said, without conviction.

He kissed the top of Buffy's head. "Sweetheart, I heard about the baby. I'm so sorry." He turned to Spike. "I really am sorry. It was a terrible thing. It must hurt like hell to go through everything, and hope for the best, and then lose her. Do they know what went wrong?"

Spike took a deep unneeded breath and looked up into his old adversary's face. "She isn't dead," he hissed. "She's out there, somewhere. That's why we need you. Do you really think I'd come looking to you for help if we weren't desperate?"

Angel looked confused, "But I heard..."

Buffy took Spike's arm for support. Every move she made these days took supreme effort. "I know what the hospital records say. I know what the death certificate says. But Angel, believe me," she looked with pleading into his eyes, "Our little girl isn't dead."

*****
Cordelia Chase looked with contempt at Angel as she handed Buffy her coffee and Spike his tea. "I know you can't, or won't, figure out how the coffee maker works, but you couldn't plug in the kettle and drop a teabag in a cup?" She had been delighted to walk in the door with her Chinese takeout and see Buffy standing in the foyer. Dropping the bag on the lobby desk, she embraced her old friend as her face lit up with a wide, genuine smile. She was less pleased to see Spike standing beside his wife, and for the life of her she could not understand what Buffy saw in him. She was used to masking her true feelings for the sake of popularity, so she didn't let her displeasure show.

"So, you say you think the baby was kidnapped. What makes you think so?" she asked.

"There are too many unanswered questions." Spike answered. "The doctor was the only one at the hospital we dealt with, even in the delivery room. We thought at the time that she was protecting my identity, or concerned that the baby might be, I don't know, some kind of ..."

"She was beautiful," interjected Buffy. "She had round little cheeks and soft curly brown hair. I nursed her once, and she sucked like a pro." Angel looked uncomfortable. "I swear that there was nothing wrong with her."

"Yeah, love, she was that," Spike added, "a real beauty." He brought Buffy's hand to his lips and kissed it gently. "Any ways, this Dr. Hall didn't come back to speak to me, which seemed strange, and when I went to confront her, she had left the hospital. She hasn't come back. At first they said she was on a emergency, then taking an 'extended leave of absence'. Bloody crap."

"And the real clicker - she was carrying a basket the nurse said was 'mewing'. Thought it was a bloody cat, she did." Spike gripped the back of Buffy's chair until his knuckles went even whiter than usual. "It wasn't a cat, Angelus. It was our Billie."

Angel wasn't convinced that the couple weren't seeing only what they wanted to see, to deal with their grief, but the story had enough loose ends to bear investigation. "All right, we'll take the case. I'm sure Wesley will agree. No charge." He looked at Cordelia to see if she would object. Her eyes glistened with tears.

"No charge," she said.
*********

Gun and Wesley entered the hotel lobby and saw Buffy and Spike sitting on the couch together. Angel was standing in front of them talking, and Cordy and Fred, who had joined them, were sitting on chairs. It looked like an intimate circle, and they wondered what was going on. Buffy looked up at Wesley and smiled. She got up and walked over to them, but Wesley put up his hand in warning. "Don't touch me, Buffy. I'm covered in invisible Renjah demon blood. Stings like the devil. Wonderful to see you."

Angel looked at the dishevelled pair and gestured towards the elevator. "You two shower up and we'll explain what's going on when you get back."

Wesley turned to go, but Gunn hesitated. "First, introduce me to your friends. I hate to be out of the loop."

"Buffy," said Angel, "you've heard of. This is Spike, one of my... family. Buffy's husband." He was surprised that the word came out as easily as it did. He was certainly not used to the concept.

"Oh great," said Gunn, "another good vampire."

"Watch it, mate," Spike replied, "I don't like to be insulted."

"Don't worry," Buffy said with a smile, "Spike is mostly harmless." He glared at his wife. "Actually, he's a big, bad vampire, and you don't want to cross him, but be nice to me and everything will be okay."

"That's better, love," Spike said.

Gunn shook his head and walked towards the elevator. "There have got to be other jobs out there."

******

Buffy looked around the hotel lobby with appreciation. She ran her hand over the antique wooden door trim. "I'm impressed, Angel. This place is so beautiful. I can certainly see why you'd want to live here."

"Care for a tour, Buffy?" Cordelia asked. "Spike?"

Spike looked at Cordy and declined. "Maybe later, luv. Have a few things I want to go over with ol' Angelus first."

Fred jumped up excitedly. "Oh, Buffy, you'll just love it here. It's a wonderful place. Hardly ever any demons, and the rooms are so roomy, but not too roomy, and there are so many of them..."

Cordy smiled. "Come on, Fred. We'll give her the grand tour." Cordy linked one arm in Buffy's as Fred took the other, beaming at her new friend.

After they had left, Angel turned to Spike and asked, "Care for a drink? You must be hungry."

Spike smiled, "Don't mind if I do."

Angel led Spike into the big hotel kitchen and opened the door of the industrial refrigerator. Reaching in the back, behind the food, he pulled out a red liquid-filled bottle. He grabbed a few glasses from the cupboard, poured the blood into them and put them in the microwave to slightly heat them. He then carried them out into the hotel bar.

Spike sat down at the table across from Angel and picked up his glass. He held it to the light. "Nice colour," he said. He took a sip. "Bloody hell, mate, this is human!"

Angel smiled. "I have a contact in the Red Cross. I pick up bags that aren't quite up to their standards. Hate to see things go to waste."

Taking another sip, Spike sighed in appreciation. "Delicious. It's been a while. I'm touched that you brought out the company stuff for me." He pointed his finger at Angel. "Just don't tell Buffy."
"Deal," Angel replied, "As long as you don't tell Cordelia, Wesley or Gunn. Especially Gunn. They just wouldn't understand."

"Ah, well," said Spike, "how could they?" He paused for a moment, as though he wanted to say something to Angel that he shouldn't. "There's another thing I don't want you telling Buffy."

"What's that?" asked Angel.

Spike stared at the blood as he swirled it in his glass. "When we find Dr. Hall, I am going to kill her."

*******

Angel was concerned that Buffy and Spike were tired and preoccupied, but Fred insisted that was the perfect reason for a trip to Caritas. "They have to meet Lorne," she said. "He's just so cool. And I want to sing again. It will be fun. Come on guys, please?" When she looked at him with pleading in her eyes, it was hard for Angel to deny her.

"What's Caritas," asked Spike, "and who is this Lorne bloke?"

"It's a karaoke bar," replied Cordelia, "and Lorne runs it. It's a pretty cool place."

"Ah, karaoke, no thanks, luv, but I think I'll pass." Spike said with distain. "Think I'd rather stake myself than listen to a bunch of no-talent wankers ruining some perfectly lousy songs."

"I'd like to go," said Buffy. "If Fred thinks it would be fun. God knows I could use some of that. Anyway, Fred really wants to."

"Well," replied Spike, "If you want to go, count me in."

Angel thought of Spike's willingness to follow Dru wherever she wanted to lead him. He was concerned that Spike may not have changed as much as Buffy believed.

"I'll pass," said a newly scrubbed Gunn. "There are a few memories there I can do without. Maybe next time."

The rest piled into Angel's car and headed for Caritas.

********
"Angel!" cried Lorne, the karaoke demon. "Welcome. Hey, Fred and Cordelia, my favourite pretty women. Wesley, how's it going? And look, you've brought me some new talent."

"Lorne," said Cordelia, "this is Buffy and Spike, friends from Sunnydale."

Spike shook the unexpected demon's hand. This was certainly unlike any karaoke bar he had heard of. The smiling bright green demon in his shiny purple suit reminded him of the Joker in that Batman movie. He looked about the lounge and saw with surprise a familiar face. "Get us a table, love," he said to Buffy, "I'll be right over."

He sauntered over to a side table where sat a large, lumpy grey demon with horny protrusions projecting from its cheeks. "Garko, ol' mate!" called Spike, " Long time no see!"

The demon grinned up at the vampire. "Spike! Wow! How long has it been? About forty years? Is Dru here with you? I'd love to see her again."

Much as he was happy to see his old chum, Spike realized that such meetings were usually awkward. "No, mate. Dru and I parted company quite a while ago. But, onward and upward I say. See the little blonde sitting at that table?" He held up his left hand and pointed to the ring on his third finger. "That's my bird."

"Ooh, pretty," replied Garko. "Married eh? Hey, she's human, isn't she? Spike, you are still the one for surprises."

"What can I say, Garko? I'm a fool for love. Anyway, great to see you. Maybe we can chat again before I head home. Got to get back to the little woman." Spike walked over and sat at the table with the others. He noticed with chagrin that Buffy was studying the karaoke book section marked 'duets'. "I hope you aren't in that section on my account," he said to Buffy.

"You have to sing," enthused Fred. "Everyone does. It's fun. When your done everyone claps, even if you aren't any good. It's a great ego booster," she said, looking down shyly.

"Hey, you don't need to worry about that, Fred," Angel said, putting his arm around her shoulder. "I like your voice."

Cordelia shot him a glance. "I don't think she's talking about herself, Mandy boy."

"Look here, honey," Buffy said to Spike, "they have stuff from Moulin Rouge. We know all of them enough to sing."

Cordelia looked at Spike, confusion on her face. "You like Moulin Rouge?"

"Buffy made me watch it, as soon as it came out on video. Wasn't my idea," Spike replied, wishing his wife would keep quiet.

Buffy was undeterred. "And then he made us watch it over again. We must have seen it, like, a few dozen times." She pointed to the song list. "We could sing that."

Spike looked at the page. "All right, love, one song. But if any of you lot have any comments, I'm gonna forget about this chip in my head." Together they made their way to the stage, and picked up their mikes, as the music to 'Come What May' began.
Spike started, "Never knew I could feel like this, like I've never seen the sky before. Want to vanish inside your kiss, everyday I love you more and more..."

"Hey, cried Cordelia, "Spike can sing!"

"Yeah," added Fred, looking a bit starstruck, "and he's really cute too."

It was Buffy's turn, "Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place, suddenly it moves with such a perfect grace...."

Angel was mesmerized. "She has a beautiful voice." he thought, "I never knew." As they sang, he filled The Host in on the situation.

"Come what may," they sang, "Come what may. I will love you, until my dying day..."

Angel turned to Lorne. "Well," he asked, "what do you think?"

"I think," replied the demon, "that those two kids are crazy mad in love. They're also hurting very deeply. I've seen less pain than that pull apart some pretty happy couples. They're living in limbo. Dead or alive, find that baby, and find it soon."

********

Buffy woke in the big, comfy bed, and wondered what time it was. The blackout blinds obscured any daylight that might have come through the windows. She pushed herself over Spike's inert form to read the clock on the bureau. "11:03 am. Time to get up." she said to herself. She was grateful that no one had wakened her; she had been exhausted. She knew that Spike would be unconscious until sundown unless he was awakened prematurely, and she had no intention of doing so. She kissed him on the chest. "My sleeping beauty," she thought.

Lying next to him, she thought back to the first night they had made love. It was different than anything she had experienced before. Angel had been so passionate, but she was inexperienced and insecure. Riley had been all about the physical, though she knew deep down that was all that she had to give him. Spike was so unexpected. He was gentle, more so than she would have imagined, and she felt he was literally worshipping her with his body.

Afterwards, she had felt his face and the moisture coming from his eyes. "You're crying," she said with shock, as she kissed away the tears.

"I didn't know," he said softly, "I didn't know this was how it was supposed to be. Harmony, well, that was just sex. And Dru was so cruel, and everything was a game to her. I just thought that's what love was." Buffy looked at him, her eyes wide. It hadn't occurred to her before that in his whole long life, mad Druscilla was the only woman he had been with before Harmony. She knew that Harmony meant nothing. "I loved Dru so much," he continued, "and this is the first time I really believe that I have been loved back. At least a little."
"A lot," replied Buffy, tears forming in her eyes now. "With all my heart."

Sweet as the memories were, Buffy reckoned that she really should be getting up. Quietly sliding from the bed, she went into the bathroom for her morning ablutions. If she was going to find her baby, she couldn't spend the whole day in bed. And she was going to find the baby.

******

"Well, little one, let's see whether you've gained any." The ex-Dr. Hall put the too lethargic baby onto the weigh scale and adjusted the sliding weight. "Shit. You're still losing. This won't do, it won't do at all. You are going to make some very nasty men very angry at mommy." She took Billie from the scale and laid her back in the bassinette. She unwrapped the bandages from the baby's hands and inspected the blisters there. "Healing a bit, but not as quick as I'd hoped," she said to herself. She still kicked herself for taking the baby out in a snuggly pack and leaving her hands exposed, though she had applied sunscreen. Although the tiny hands weren't about to burst into flame, they did prove hypersensitive to the sun's rays, and when they came back inside a nasty burn had turned to blisters. "Ah well," the doctor had said, "at least that's one experiment I won't have to do."

"The formula I'm feeding her doesn't seem to be making her thrive. I must be missing something." She took a hypodermic from the drawer of the change table and inserted it into the crying baby's vein for yet another blood test.

She prepared a slide with a drop of the blood and looked at it under the microscope. "What am I missing?" she asked herself. "Of course," she tapped herself on the forehead. "She doesn't just need mother's milk. You, my darling," she called to the baby, "need something a little more from your mama."

She stepped to her telephone and dialed the familiar long distance number. "Hello. Yes. I need some assistance, someone strong. Someone who can get the best of the Slayer. Let me explain what I need..."

*******

Cordelia lay on the hotel lobby floor, writhing in pain. For the first time, Spike could sympathize with the girl he had always considered shallow. From all accounts, her headaches were at least as bad as the ones the chip gave him, but she carried on and willingly received her visions. You had to admire her for that.

"Bad." she moaned. "Big, hairy, claws, lots of blood... I can't see where. Think I'll throw up. Ugly, ugly demon. Oh god, there are children." Like a shot, the visions left her, but her head still throbbed, and she felt so weak.

"We need to know where, Cordelia," Wesley said to the prostrate girl, "How can we find this thing?"
"I told you," grimaced Cordelia. "I don't know where it is. I think I can find it if I go with you."

Angel worried about taking her outside in her condition, but he knew she couldn't be stopped, even if they had wanted to stop her. They needed her direction. "Okay, we're off. Do you want to join in, Spike, Buffy?"

Spike smiled at the prospect of joining in on the kill. He turned to Buffy and asked, "Fancy a bit o' mayhem, love? Might be just the thing."

Buffy shook her head in the negative. "You go, Spike. It will do you good. I'll stay here and keep Fred company. Take care, all of you." Spike worried about his wife and her lack of interest in fighting dark forces. It had once been her great adrenaline rush, and he knew she had loved it. Since Billie was gone, the fight had gone out of her. Still, no need to stay with her if Fred was there, and he really wanted to join the others. He needed to kick something.

He kissed Buffy goodbye, and followed the other demon hunters out the door. Fred grinned at Buffy. "You want to play Scrabble?"

"No thanks," said Buffy, "too much like spelling. Which is too much like school. Why don't we just talk. Why don't you tell me all about Fred."

********

The gang burst through the door, tired and messy, but exhilarated. Gunn was slapping Spike on the back, "Man, you were great," Cordy was walking arm in arm with Angel and Wesley was beaming.

"Just think," he said, "we got there in time to save all those children. And what a fight." He turned to Spike, "ever think of joining a detective firm? We certainly made good use of you tonight. I can offer you a very poor wage, and lots of fighting. Lots of personal satisfaction." But Spike wasn't listening.

Fred was sitting on the corner of the couch, picking at the fibres and looking distraught. "Where's Buffy?" he asked her.

"She went out," replied Fred. "I was in the bathroom and the phone rang, and when I got out she was gone."

Angel went over to the phone and rewound the tape machine that recorded all incoming calls. When he pressed 'play' an electronic voice said, "We have her. Meet me outside the hotel and I'll take you to her." The recording clicked off.

Everyone looked stricken, and Spike hit the wall with his fist. "Stupid girl! It's a bloody trap! God, Buffy, why didn't you wait for me?"

******
While checking his usual sources, Gunn got lucky. "I think we've found her. My old gang picked up a young blonde woman in an alley about half an hour ago. They've taken her to the headquarters. The description sounds like Buffy."

They all piled into Angel's car and drove to Gunn's old neighbourhood. "Let me go in and get her," he said. "I'll bring her out if it's Buffy."

"No," said Spike. "She's my wife. I'm going in with you."

"That's a very bad idea." replied Gunn.

"He's right," Angel affirmed. "They have a big hate on for vampires, any vampire. Saying you're Gunn's friend won't cut you any slack."

Spike ignored them both. "I'm going in."

"Alright," said Gunn, "It's your funeral. But please, don't let on that you're a vampire. They'll dust first and ask questions later."

Gunn entered his old headquarters with a sigh. He knew that he wasn't welcome here anymore, since his acquaintance with Angel, and since standing against them in the fight at Caritas, where many demons had been slaughtered. Still, he had enough history for them to let him get Buffy and get out. He led Spike though the entrance. "Yo, guys. It's me."

"Who's the albino?" one of the gang asked with suspicion.

"This is..."

"William. William Summers," Spike continued. "We think it's my wife that you picked up. How is she?"

Another vampire hunter gestured towards the couch against the wall. "She's over there."

Buffy sat on the couch with a dazed expression on her face. Spike raced over and took her in his arms. "Are you alright, pet? Did they hurt you?"

She looked into his concerned eyes and tried to smile. "I was such an idiot. I fought one of them, but another came up behind me and put something over my face, and I passed out. I woke up here. Some Slayer I am."

Spike looked at her intently. He whispered in her ear, "You're down a quart, love. Someone's siphoned you off."

Buffy reached for her neck in horror, feeling for bite marks. "Not there, love. Look." He tenderly touched the crook of her arm, where a puncture mark was surrounded by a spreading bruise.

Gunn was impatient to get Spike out of there. He was rushing them out the door when one of the gang came in. "Hey, I know that guy. His name is Spike. He's a vamp bastard. Killed a friend of mine five years ago." He pulled a stake from his pocket and prepared to strike.

With lightening speed, Buffy snatched the stake from his hand and placed it against the vampire hunter's chest. "The first person to make a move against my husband dies. I've seen what one of these does to a human chest, and it isn't pretty. Now let us go quietly before you're all sorry." She turned her head to look at the others while keeping the stake poised. "You may have heard of me. They call me The Slayer."

"Let them go, man," said the new gang leader. "It isn't worth it. But Gunn, you will never, I repeat never, come into this building again. This time, it is over."

********

Marcia Evans, formerly Marley Hall, opened Billie's bottle and added a teaspoon of her mother's blood to the formula. "There, there, little one, I'm sure you'll be feeling much better soon." The baby sucked vigorously at the nipple. "Yes, little one, I think that's just what the doctor ordered."

***********

"Do you think the baby needs a transfusion?" Buffy asked with concern. "That there's something wrong with her? Why else would anyone want my blood? They knew about Billie. Knew I'd throw caution to the wind to find out anything about her." Buffy sat in a chair in Angel's lobby. Spike stood behind her protectively, grasping her hand firmly.

"Don't worry, Buffy," said Wesley, attempting to be the voice of reason. "If they need the blood for the baby, then she's alive. And I don't think they have taken her too far away. They've moved too quickly. I was afraid that this doctor could have gone anywhere in the world, but I hope now that they've stayed here in California."

"To be honest, it won't be that easy to find her. My contact at the bank would confirm that a wire transfer was made into Hall's account two weeks before Billie's birth, and that the doctor withdrew three million dollars in cash a week later. With that much cash, a person could set up a whole new identity, live quite comfortably, and practically drop off the face of the earth. That much money could buy great deal of fraudulent identification, and if they kept the cash without depositing it, only using it as needed, it would be virtually impossible to trace." Wesley refused to be defeated. "Don't give up hope yet, though. Every perfect plan has a flaw. We just have to find it."

"Who wired the money?" asked Angel.
"My source wouldn't say," replied Wesley. "Just the amount of information she has already given me could cost her job. Banks are very sticky about confidentiality." He leaned over and took Buffy's hand. "Think back. Was there any thing, any clue? How did you find this doctor; know she would be sympathetic to your particular concerns?"

Buffy stared at him in shock. How could she have been so blind? It was staring her right in the face. "Giles. She knows Giles."

"Thank you," said Wesley, "that is rather a big help." He walked over to the phone and dialed Giles number in England. "Since he's been back we've kept in touch. He's been into some rather unusual circumstances back home." He spoke into the mouthpiece, "Hello, Giles. Yes, fine thank you. Buffy and Spike are here. No, he's been fine, quite helpful really. I need to know something. That Dr. Hall you put Buffy in touch with...how do you know her. Really? Oh, wonderful, I didn't know. Do you have the mailing address? Let me write it down. Marvellous. Yes, it could be a help. They're fine. Coping as well as can be expected. I may have news for you soon. Righto."

Cordelia looked at Wesley with anticipation. "Well? Did he actually have her address?"

"Well," replied Wesley, "No. I had thought that he might have known her through some psychic society, or something of the like, but it appears that they are both members of TARSAS."

"Tarsas?" asked Cordy, "what the hell is tarsas?"

"Yeah, mate," interjected Spike, "in English."

"Oh," said Wesley. "It's The Antiques' Roadshow Appreciation Society."

The rest of them stared at Wesley. If the situation hadn't been so serious, Spike would have enjoyed mocking him. Instead he asked, "So? How does that help find my daughter?"

"Well," said Wesley, "I happen to know that the American series is doing an episode in San Diego this weekend, at the convention centre there. It's the only one this season in Southern California. If she's a fan, perhaps she'll turn up. So far, it's our only lead."

"Good," said Buffy, grasping at any possibility. "I'll call Xander and ask him to come."

"Buffy love," Spike said, "I know you value having your friends about, but why Harris? What bloody help could he possibly be?"

"Because, Spike love, Xander goes to that stupid comic book show there every summer. He knows that convention centre like the back of his hand."

*****

Buffy didn't manage to get in touch with Xander until Friday, so they arranged to pick him up at the San Diego Airport on the way to the show. Spike and Angel huddled under blankets in the back seat. Wesley had arranged tickets for everyone, and they asked Xander the best way to get around in the centre. "The show," said Wesley, "is being filmed in the Sail's Pavilion."

"Oh, great," said Xander, "the Sail's Pavilion. We could have saved some room in the car. The Sail's Pavilion is like a big tent. Looks like big, well, sails. Loads of sunlight. Vampire boys here will fry before they see nary an antique. They might as well stay in the car under their blankies."

"Harris," mumbled Spike under the blanket, "I'm bloody well not staying in this wretched car. That woman could be there, maybe with my daughter. If you think I'm not going in..."

"Geez," said Xander, "don't get your shorts in a knot. You too can wait on the upper floor of the con centre, outside the sails. There are lots of dark corridors and function rooms for you both to lurk in."

They ran for the front door, Spike and Angel holding their blankets over their heads. They dropped them inside the centre, far from the windows. "Careful, boys," laughed Xander, "no smoking in the convention centre."

Buffy hit his arm. "This isn't funny, Xander Harris. Don't make me regret bringing you along."

Xander looked at her apologetically. "Buff, you know I always cover my discomfort with mirth. Riding in the car with two vampires is not exactly within my comfort zone. Even is one is your ex, and the other is your husband. Which is something else I'm still not comfortable with. But I'm with you. All of you." He took her hands in his and looked down at her. "We will find your baby. Thank you for asking for my help."

"So, Xander, how to we get to this Sail's place?" Wesley asked.

"Well," replied Xander, "the main escalator is a little sunny, so I recommend we go through the back way." They picked up their entrance badges at the front registration area, then he led them through a huge, empty function area and to the back staircase. They climbed it to the upper level. "The Sail's is to our right. The Vamps can stand here and wait for us."

Xander, Buffy and Wesley headed into the Sail's Pavilion, though the latter seemed distracted by all the antiques and collectables being carried by the people in line for appraisal. "Look at that," he said delightedly, "if I'm not mistaken that's a Georgian hair receiver." Buffy was so distracted by looking for Dr. Hall that she walked into one of the participants, who dropped her bowl and watched in horror as it smashed on the floor.

Marcia Evans turned at the resulting commotion and recognized Buffy. She slipped out the entrance without being noticed and headed for the back stairway. "Going somewhere, Dr. Hall?" said a very angry vampire blocking her way down the staircase. "We've been looking for you for some time."

She turned and attempted to flee in the other direction, but found her way blocked by another, taller vampire. "Ah, so you are Dr. Hall. I've heard so much about you," Angel growled menacingly."

"Where is my baby, bitch?" Spike didn't care about the pain that was starting to fire in his head. He almost didn't notice it. "Tell me and I may let you live."

"I, I can't tell you," she whimpered. "If I do, they will kill me. Maybe her too. You don't want that. Let me go, and I promise I'll take good care of her..."

Spike reached out for her throat. He wanted to crush it like a bug, but as she tried to escape she lost her footing and tumbled down the long staircase. With a gasp he saw her lying at the bottom with her head at a deadly angle. Defeated he sat on the top of the stairs with his head in his hands.

"You aren't going to tell me you're sorry about that, are you?" asked Angel in surprise.

"Of course not. But she was our only lead. We have no way of finding Billie now." Spike answered, damned if he would let Angel see him cry.

Angel reached into his pocket for a pair of latex gloves. "You know, Spike," he said, "you made a great evil vampire, but you'd make a lousy detective." He quickly descended to the bottom of the stairs, and picked up the doctor's purse. Opening it, he removed her wallet. "Even if this is a phony driver's license, it doesn't mean it's a phony address."

Xander and Buffy stood at the top of the stairs, looking down in horror. Spike rose and embraced his love. "I think we're close now," he said. "We are going to find her."

Xander called down, "Come on Angel. I think this would be a good time to get out of here, don't you? If I can drag Wesley out of that room and his precious antiques."

**********

The quintet stood in front of the address on the license as the sun fully set. It was one of the houses built into the hills on the outskirts of San Diego, white with an orange roof. Not a cheap house, but not a mansion. Oddly, there didn't appear to be any security. "Allow me," Buffy said. She kicked down the door, and entered, entreating Spike and Angel to join her. The others rushed inside to the sound of the alarm. Two men dressed in suits came rushing towards them, guns drawn, but they were no match for Buffy and her friends.

A baby's cry came from the upper level, and Spike and Buffy practically flew up the staircase. In the bassinette a much healthier Billie was exercising her lungs, while an older suited man stood beside it, a gun pointed at the baby's head. "Don't move," he told them, "it would be a regrettable loss, but one I am fully willing to make."

Wesley stood at the door in shock. "Richard," he said. "Put the gun down."

"Ah, Wesley Wyndham-Price," the older gentleman said, "slumming, I see?"

Wesley spat in disgust. "I suspected Wolfram and Hart might be behind this. I never expected the Council."

Spike poised ready to strike, every muscle tensed, his face without trace of humanity. Only his fear for his daughter kept him from killing without mercy. Beside him, Buffy was trying to work out how she could free her child, and inflict as much pain as possible on the human scum standing beside the baby. That the Watcher's Council was apparently behind the abduction didn't even register.

"You used Giles' reports," said Wesley, "you kept track of the pregnancy with that evil doctor, and now you're willing to kill an innocent, just like you've let so many young girls die for you. This is wrong, Richard. This is not what the Council I joined stood for."

"How dare you?" replied the Watcher, "How dare you criticise me, when you work with one of those creatures? And this baby," he gestured with the gun barrel, "this child is not so innocent. She is of her father's spawn, not vampire, but Damphyr. She needs human blood to survive, her mother's blood to be precise. What kind of innocent child is that?"

"That's not for you to decide." The Watcher turned around to see the vampire he had not noticed behind him. Angel grabbed him and swung his body around, taking the baby out of harm's way. In that instant Buffy rushed to her daughter, picking her up and hugging her close. Spike joined the embrace, ensuring that his body was between Buffy and the gun.

"For the Council," Richard cried, swinging the pistol to his own head and pulling the trigger.

*******

The staff from Angel Investigations stood outside the bus station, making their goodbyes. "No, really guys, this will be fine." insisted Buffy, proudly cradling her daughter in her arms. "This is the safest way for us to travel, taking the night bus to Sunnyvale. Especially now that I have two UV extremely sensitive sweethearts to worry about."

"What about what that Richard guy said, about the blood?" Angel asked.

"Actually," answered Wesley, "the doctor's notes were quite explicit. Billie will need Buffy's blood for a time, about as long as a baby needs to nurse. After that, she should be fine with animal blood, and only a bit at a time. However, she will never have the option of becoming a vegetarian."

"Coming back with us, Harris?" Spike asked.

"Naw, I'll come back tomorrow. If I don't bring Anya back a present from LA, she will kill me,"
replied Xander. Cordelia laughed. "Actually, Cordy, that wasn't a joke." Xander's ex shook her head sympathetically.

"Well, see ya, mate." Spike held his hand out to Xander, who shook it gingerly.

"You know, Spike, he said, "I'm still not sure I trust you, but damn it if I'm not starting to like you."

Spike put his hand out to Angel, who ignored it and drew him into a big bear hug. "You have changed," he said, "Who would have believed it? Take care of them, both of them, or I will hunt you down and kill you."

"Always, mate, always. And thanks. For everything. Now please let me go before these blokes get the wrong idea," Spike smiled.

Buffy handed the baby to her husband, and pulled something out of her bag for Cordelia. "Ooh, Excedrin," said Cordelia sarcastically. "Nice present."

"Hey," winked Buffy, "Spike swears by them."

Fred hugged her new friend and handed her a pair of pink booties. "I've been knitting them since you two got here. I just knew you'd find your baby." Buffy couldn't speak, just wiped a few tears from the corner of her eyes.

Wesley and Gunn asked Spike again if he would consider working for the agency. "Pass mates," he answered, "but you don't know what it means that you asked. Buffy's got a few responsibilities in Sunnydale, not the least being that nasty Hellmouth, but if she ever wants to move back to LA, you'll be the first ones I call."

Finally, Buffy turned to Angel, bending his head down to place a kiss on his forehead. "Thank you. So much. Always there when I need you. But try to get over me, okay?"

"I do try," he answered, "every day. You're just not an easy girl to get over. But I'm fine, really. I have good friends, and a purpose in life, and who knows, maybe someday..." He looked over towards Fred and Cordelia.

"Well then, my friend, here's to someday." She boarded the bus with Spike and her daughter, and headed home.

The End