A/N: Does anyone actually bother to read these little ramblings of mine? Doubt it. **Sighs** Ah, well, at least I have myself to talk to! ;-D

Disclaimer: ???!!! What'd ya reckon?

Dedication: To my mum- Happy Mother's Day!

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"Do you know of Zachary?"

"What?" Angel hadn't been expecting Gracia's question as they walked to the Bronze that night. She had seemed a little more lost in her thoughts than usual, but he had thought nothing of it. A lot was happening- she had reason to be pensive.

"I asked if you'd heard of Zachary." Gracia repeated. As the question left her lips for a second time, she realised that there were probably several Zacharys in the vampire world and so decided to elaborate. "Sired by the Master, about four hundred and fifty years old. We think."

Angel looked at his sister a little worriedly, although he didn't allow himself to show it. He slowly said, "Yes. We've met more than once.Why?"

"Because I know that he's something to do with this whatever it is that's happening." Gracia sighed. "I was out patrolling the other night with...someone, and we found some vampire gang digging up a grave to retrieve some mouldy old scroll. They mentioned Zachary and one vampire got away with the papers. Luke, Keisha and I tried to research him but Cecelia banned us because I needed to train." She shrugged. "That was her story any how."

Angel's mind was racing at two miles a minute with all this information, with all the questions he wanted and needed to ask. Eventually, he said, "Why would she stop you like that?"

"Oh, I don't know. She's...strange, you know? But I guess that's Watcher's for you." A small smile hovered briefly on her lips. "Always urging you to work harder."

"Wouldn't she even let Keisha and Luke research?"

"She hates them being in on my 'little secret', so that is always going to be a dead end. Anyway, what do you know about Zachary?"

Angel knew a lot. What could he say though? He didn't doubt her powers, didn't doubt how strong she was physically and mentally, but also didn't want to cause her any unescessary concern. Of course, where vampires were concerned, no amount of concern and wariness was unesscessary. Their pace, by this time, had slowed almost completely.

"If it's this Zachary that you think it might be, then we're in trouble." Angel answered unwillingly.

Gracia's eyes widened slightly and her tone was stiff as she processed the concern in his voice. "How much trouble?"

"Gracey, Zachary won't give up on what he wants. He's been around for centuries so he's had a lot of time to perfect his battle skills. Whatever it is he's after...he's determined to get it, and it looks like he has helpers."

"Angel, what do I do?" She sighed helplessly. "I feel so useless."

"You're not, Gracey." They stopped now, and he hugged her comfortingly. "Every Slayer needs help now and again, and you've got everyone here for you. Me, Keisha, Luke, all of us. The witchcraft...as far as I know, Zachary wasn't one for attempting magic of any kind. My...friend, in Boston, she's researching possibilities for us. She bound to find something. She used to be a Wiccan."

They broke apart and Gracia smiled, slightly reassured now. Only slightly, but at least it was a bit. "Thanks." she said as they began to walk again.

"For what?" he asked with a returning half-smile.

"Everything."

It wasn't until a silent minute or so had passed when Angel suddenly remembered another question. He glanced at her and asked, "So who were you patrolling with?"

She looked at him also and the guilt in her eyes was evident. "Well," she said slowly. "Keisha and Luke were having to stay in because they had to go to their dad's in L.A. that weekend, so I sort of went with Spike."

"What?" Angel almost yelled, stopping dead. Gracia halted and stood staring at him, not entirely sure what was goind to happen. "Spike approached you again?"

"No." she replied. "I met him in the graveyard, completely unexpected. I swear."

"Did he try to hurt you?"

"No! He helped me fight the vamp gang working for Zachary."

"Gracey," Angel explained. "Spike is evil. He wouldn't hesitate to kill you-"

"He has a chip in his head. He can't hurt me or any other living thing." Gracia was just beginning to become a little exasperated. Why exactly did Angel think Spike was so incredibly evil? Sure, he was souless, but at least he was on their side. That had to count for something. Everybody was telling her what to do all the time, doubting her strengths. Angel, Cecelia, teachers...everyone.

"If he could kill you, he would." Angel ammended. "He's killed two Slayers before, attempted to kill a third, and no matter what he insists, he's still not on our side. He's on the side of whoever will give him a better deal."

Gracia took a deep breath, closed her eyes for a moment and counted to five. Then she began her own arguments.

"Angel." Her voice was clear and unmistakable, more like the old Grace than ever. "Please, listen to me. If we benefit as well as him from some kind of agreement, who can loose? Zachary certainly isn't going to want to welcome Spike back if he's killed at least a few of his army, is he?"

Angel seemed to be struggling slightly to find an answer to that. "We don't know until it's happened. Gracey, I just don't want you going near him, OK? For your own safety."

Gracia was more than just a bit annoyed now. "I may be sixteen, but I'm still the Slayer!" she said heatedly, voice rising. "I can look after myself!"

Angel looked hurt and angry with himself. "Gracey, I'm sorry, I didn't mean..."

"Look, I need time alone. See you later." With that, she disappeared down the street quickly. Angel stood watching her leave, knowing that there was no way that he could calm her down at this moment. Another pain of guilt and despair shot through him.

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This book was still not making much sense. Keisha scowled, slammed it shut, and tossed it randomly away. It sailed off the bed where she was sitting and clattered against the wall and to the floor. She threw herself into a laying position on her side and pushed her hair out of her eyes.

"Maybe you aren't consulting the right thing."

Keisha sat bolt upright at the voice and narrowed her eyes slightly as she saw a now quite familiar person sitting on the chair by her overflowing desk.

Or should that be 'a now quite familiar ghost'?

"What do you want, Buffy? I'm not in the mood right now." she snapped. Then regretted it. "Sorry."

"Whatever it is you want to find, why don't you ask somebody?" Buffy rose and walked to where the book lay, bending down to read the title aloud. "'Ghosts and Apparitions- The Spirit World.'" She stood up and raised an eyebrow at Keisha, who squirmed.

"Oh, don't." she said. "It looked like the one with the most knowledge in it, so I went for it. I need to find out what's happening."

"You mean why you can see me but nobody else can?" Keisha nodded at this.

It was constantly on her mind why she seemed to be the only one who could see Buffy. She knew because, on several occasions, somebody of her family would walk in for one reason or another, and not seem to notice her. Charlie had even walked straight through her. Was she going crazy? Or was it something else?

"Who am I gonna ask though, Buffy?" Keisha sighed. "We are talking months of extensive weird looks and blackmail here."

"The Watcher?" Keisha raised her eyebrows. "Or not. Luke? Gracia? Angel?" On each name Keisha shook her head, although she blushed slightly on the mention of the last name. "OK. Well, if you don't ask anyone, you can't expect to find anything."

"Just anything would help." Keisha sat up properly and slammed her left hand into the bed in frustration. "I'd just like to narrow the search down from infinity."

Buffy looked thoughtful. "You know what? I think I might know what you have."

Keisha rolled her eyes. "Oh great, make it sound like an illness." Noticing Buffy's slightly offended look, she winced. "Sorry, bad day. You were saying?"

"I think you might have Second Sight."

There was a silence as Keisha blinked surprisedly. Then she giggled.

"You're kidding! What, like in the films?" she asked increduously.

Buffy nodded. "It'd need research so you'll have to abandon whatever life you have at the moment, but I think that's what it could be. I mean, you can see me, and you were having those dreams...what about them anyway?"

"Oh, them. They stopped." Keisha lied. Maybe it wasn't so much of a lie. She'd stopped having that reoccurring one about Gracia in eighteenth century Galway- if that wasn't weird enough- but had started to have others. Weirder ones. Mainly including death.

Buffy didn't look completely convinced, but nodded. "Right. But I really think you should tell some-"

She was cut off by the door opening sharply and Luke walking in. Keisha swung around, covering her frantic thoughts with a frown.

"You ever heard of knocking?" she asked.

Luke raised his eyebrows. "Sorry Keisha. Came to tell you that Dad's on the phone and wants to talk to you after Charlie's finished detailing his soccer match. Just don't encounter Mom, she's not in the best of moods right now."

"Oh right." Keisha said, loosing the frown. "Thanks Luke. Be down in a second."

Luke looked around the room almost suspiciously. "What are you doing in here anyway?"

Keisha glanced to where she could see Buffy standing, leaning against the wall. "Uh, nothing. Come on, let's go."

She jumped up and steered her brother from the room. She glanced back breifly as she left to see that Buffy had gone.

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You like? Hope so! Plz review, more soon if I can survive my revision books...grr!