Dahle and Sven were having a debate about swords, daggers, and crossbows when Buffy, Willow, and I arrived. Xander was reading something, and Cordelia was filing her nails.
"So, what'd Mr. Know-It-All have to say?" Xander asked casually.
"Nothing helpful," Buffy sighed.
"Dahle, when the two Eyes were separated, one was put in a museum in Egypt. What happened to the other one?" I demanded, getting straight to the point.
"I...um...I thought it was dropped out into the middle of the ocean." he answered thoughtfully. Then he added, "Why?"
"Angel has it."
"W-what? How?" Dahle demanded.
I shook my head. "I don't know."
"He can't - it's impossible!" Dahle argued.
"Wait a minute - there are two of these seeing eye rocks?" Buffy cut in.
I nodded. "That's why Angel wants this one." I told her, putting my hand in my pocket.
"It's impossible," Dahle repeated.
"And he knows another use for it." I replied.
"What?" Buffy demanded.
"He's trying to cast a spell to take away my ability to see the future." Dahle's face clouded over with thought. "That leaves you." I told him. His eyes met mine, and he shook his head. "You have to. He doesn't know about you."
"If he has the other Eye, then he knows now. He's probably got that thing hooked up to a big screen TV." Dahle said.
"Angel knows every move we're making." Xander said dreamily.
"What are we going to do?" Cordelia asked.
"We're going to wait for Angel to make the first move." Buffy replied. "If we can't plan anything without him knowing, we'll let him make the plan for us."
"So she knows what I'm up to," Angel mused. He was kneeling beside Spike with his arm around his shoulder, and they were both watching them through the Eye. "Not to worry, though, Spike ol' buddy. In a few more hours Bryn will be powerless, and eventually the other Eye will be mine."
"Has it ever crossed your puny mind that if you destroy this dimension you'll be bored in the next one?" Spike demanded weakly.
"Spike," Angel slapped his back playfully, but hard. "Pal, are you worrying about me? How sweet," he growled, pinching Spike's cheek.
"There you are, My Angel." Drusilla hissed, coming down the stairs.
"Good evening, Baby," he hissed back, walking toward her. "How are you tonight?"
"I was lonely, but now I'm happy. Now, I have you." she grinned.
"You sure do," he smiled. They kissed, and Spike strained against his chains, trying to charge at Angel.
"Oh, come now, dear. Don't be jealous of my Angel." Drusilla told Spike, walking toward him. She knelt before him, putting her hand on his cheek. She ran her fingers along the side of his face. "Be happy, my Love," she hissed. Spike said nothing, nor made eye contact. He just stared down at the floor thinking about Bryn. "Why won't you look at me?" Drusilla asked him, trying to look into his eyes, but he kept looking away. "Look at me," she whined.
Angel came over, and grabbed Spike's hair, jerking his head up. "Look at her, Spike. Isn't she beautiful?"
Spike still wouldn't acknowledge them, and stared without seeing at the floor.
"Spike, what's wrong?" Drusilla asked him honestly. "Don't you love me anymore?"
This made Spike speak. "How can you ask me that? How can you ask me that?! Look at me, Dru! Look at me!" he yelled, pulling on his chains.
Drusilla's eyes filled with tears. "I'm sorry," she cried. "Angel, let him go." she begged.
"Aw, Spike, now look what you've done." Angel moaned, letting go of Spike's hair, then putting his hand on Dru's shoulder. "Come on, Baby, let's leave Spike here alone." he took her hand in his, and helped her to her feet. "Come on," he repeated, walking to the stairs, Drusilla in tow.
"Dru," Spike tried again.
She glanced over her shoulder, but didn't say anything.
After they were gone, Voqtul wandered out of the side room.
"My God, Voqtul, how did you get out?" Spike asked the Komodo Dragon. She sniffed the Holy Water burn. "I'm alright Voqtul, I'm alright, but you have to find Bryn. You have to escape and find her. Tell her that Angel has the other Eye, and to do what she has to do. Tell her not to worry about me, that I'm fine. I-I know I don't look fine, Voqtul, but tell her I am anyway. Now go." Voqtul didn't budge. "Please go, Voqtul. It's the only way. If Bryn gets mad at you for leaving me here, tell her I made you go."
Voqtul took off back into the other room. Spike heard glass shatter, and he knew she was gone.
We were sitting around the kitchen table, trying to talk about anything that had nothing to do with Angel, the Eye, or the future.
"Shh, for a minute," Sven cut in. "I thought I heard something." he answered the expression on Buffy's face. We all listened carefully. "Maybe not," he sighed.
"No, no, I thought I heard it, too." Dahle nodded. "It sounded like scratching." he paused, listening. "There it is again." he whispered, getting up, and moving slowly toward the broken window in the livingroom.
I could hear it too, and I went to the back door. I looked through the peephole, but it was too dark outside to see anything. Then there was a low growl, and I realized what it was.
"What - now Angel's sending evil demons to do his bidding?" Sven demanded in a whisper, as I opened the door. "What are you doing?!"
"Shh. It's okay, Sven, I know who it is." I assured him.
"Oh, really? Then wha - " I opened the door and Sven fell silent.
"What is it?" Buffy demanded, as Voqtul lumbered through the door.
"My Dragon," I answered calmly. "She must have escaped."
"How?" Xander demanded. "You'd think Angel would notice a large lizard cross his path on its way out the front door."
"Oh, you'd be surprised." I muttered, kneeling beside Voqtul. "Hey, Girl. How did you escape? Did you see Spike? Is he alright?"
"I hope not," I heard Buffy mutter.
I climbed out the window. Spike told me to find you. I heard the words in my head. I didn't want to leave him behind. Forgive me?
"It's alright, Girl. You did the right thing. I'm glad you're okay." I said, putting my hand on her scaly back.
"Is-is that a real Komodo Dragon?" Willow stammered. I nodded. "She adapted to our climate? Wow, that is so neat."
"Um, Will? People don't say 'neat' anymore. We use other adjectives, such as cool, weird, bizarre. Not neat." Xander informed her.
"Oh...right," Willow nodded.
"Voqtul's very special that way. We've been all over the world together." I explained.
"Does she bite?" Willow asked, coming closer cautiously.
"No," I replied, and she relaxed, reaching out her hand.
Voqtul jerked her head up to smell Willow's hand, and Willow jumped back in surprise.
"Don't worry, she just wants to smell you."
Willow nodded, reaching out again. Voqtul sniffed her fingers, then allowed her to pet her.
"Wow. This is neat." Willow whispered. Voqtul stuck out her forked tongue.
Cordelia came over, too. She let Voqtul smell her hand, then ran her fingers along Voqtul's back. "Oh, wow. Hey, Buffy, come here." Cordelia glanced over her shoulder to where Buffy had been standing. "Buffy? Where did she go?"
"Upstairs," Dahle answered. "I think she's pretty peeved right now."
"Why would she be peeved?" Cordelia inquired.
"Because she's the Slayer, and - "
"And she probably feels as if we're interfering with her jurisdiction, so to speak." I finished for Dahle.
"Exactly," he agreed, nodding.