The Worst Of Both Worlds

Iago: O beware, my lord, of jealousy;
It is the green eyed monster which doth mock
The meat it feeds on.
Othello' by W. Shakespeare

Yeah. That's bloody likely.

I'm not kidding Spike, take me there.

She was pissed and even though Spike imagined he could easily take her and drink her blood now, anger made Slayer's dangerous.

Oh, yeah, sure Slayer. I'll take you back to my home and you can kill every one of my friends and then me. I wonder why that idea has never come to me before. Its genius--.

Shut. Up. Spike. Just take me there.

In the pauses between her words she closed in on him and as the last syllable left her mouth she rammed him up against a wall.

Spike's facade may have been uncooperative, but he actually thought about it. If he brought the Slayer back to the mansion then she'd probably try to stake him and Dru straight away, but perhaps if he made a pact with her for their safety in return for directions then he could see that wanker Angelus staked and get Dru back quicker than he would ever have imagined. Of course them him and Dru would take their revenge on the Slayer for poor Daddy's' death. It could work.

Okay, lets make a deal..

I don't make deals with demons, Spike.

Oh, well I'm sorry. Spike spread out his arms openly, Better get on with the staking then.

Buffy weighed up the possibilities. She could stake Spike now and get rid of that pain in her ass. But she already knew she could fight and win with Spike. Angelus was bound to be harder to kill, and it would be a plus if she knew where he was. She'd listen, and if she didn't like she'd stake. She'd probably stake anyway.

Well, Slayer? I'm waiting.

What's the deal Spike?

I show you where Soulless-Boy is and you neglect to stake me an' Dru.

You want me to let you go and slaughter? Buffy asked disbelieving.

Yes. But elsewhere than Sunnyhell.

Buffy paused for a moment then looked at Spike expectantly,

Well, what are you waiting for? Good stakings come to those who wait.

Spike shook his head and slipped out from in front of her. He hoped that the Slayer was a girl of her word, otherwise he might be in trouble. Though not very much seeing as it would be three strong Vampires against one tiny Slayer. He developed a slightly more jaunty walk and led Buffy to the mansion.

***

Angelus pushed Dru down onto the long wooden table. Roses were wrapped delicately around the chairs that lined the dining table, but neither person paid any heed as they kicked aside furniture. Drusilla chuckled darkly, but like so often Angelus didn't pay attention to what she was saying.

His hands glided up her sides and the tenderness he showed was an obvious show to anyone but Dru. His mouth descended on hers in a tantalising and passionate kiss, their tongues battling tenderly as hands ripped at each others clothes.

Outside and peering though a window Buffy and Spike watched the kiss in silence. Both containing rage, jealousy, pain and tears badly.

***

Giles, what's the emergency meeting about? Something important?

Well, that would be the reason for calling it an emergency'. Is everyone here?

Still no Buffy.

Does anyone know where she is.

Patrolling I should think, she'll be here soon--

Hey guys!

The group-rambling stopped and each person looked up to flash the perky Buffy a grin. Perhaps she was a little too perky, but as long as there was a smile on her face then they weren't going to question her.

Ah, just in time Buffy, Giles has something life-threatening to tell us.

Goody, but before that piece of excitement--

Buffy it really is quite important--

Buffy raised a silencing hand.

I found out where Angelus is staying. The group was silent and Buffy nodded, Yeah, and Drusilla and Spike are there too..

Giles walked forward to put a concerned hand on Buffy's shoulder, somewhere in her last sentence her perkiness had deteriorated into a vain attempt to keep from crying. Buffy shrugged away from his hand and stared around at the group.

This is happy news, why the long faces?

Giles still has some bad news to tell us.

Oh, yes, Giles?

Giles watched Buffy for a few more moments before turning to the whole group. He removed his glasses, cleaned and replaced them before saying anything,

I think we may be facing the Apocalypse.

An end-of-the-world, you-will-all-be-judged Apocalypse?

That's the one.

W-what... I mean, how? Willow stuttered. But her question went unanswered as all attention in the room was drawn to Buffy and Giles staring at each other. Their eyes were locked together, as if some unknown transmission was going between the two. Except that Giles's transmitter seemed to be faulty as he was struggling to understand. Buffy finally looked away,

I thought I'd at least get to be eighteen before I died. Again.

Buffy... No one is going to die..

Isn't that what an Apocalypse is? Everyone dies. God, Giles. I thought I had a future, I killed the Master, crushed his bones... and I was good. Great. Bestest Slayer ever. Doesn't that mean something? I mean...

Buffy, you're overreacting.

Buffy eyes were filled with tears that refused to spill down her cheeks,

Considering this is the end of all humanity I think I'm taking this quite calmly.

Giles stared at his Slayer,

Buffy, did something happen with Angel? Uh, Angelus?

Buffy snapped, No, nothing happened. I found him, I came back to get reinforcements.. I-I thought you guys would want to be in on the kill. she gestured to Xander especially. He didn't like Angel, that would seem believable, right?

Giles glanced around at the others, he had forgotten they were there, and the placated looks on their faces made him sigh.

All right, Buffy. But perhaps I was a bit, uh, rash when I said Apocalypse. A possible Apocalypse would have been better phrasing.

Buffy pulled out a spare chair and sat around the table with the rest of the Scooby gang. She quickly became part of the unit and so as Giles addressed them he did not notice her wiping the tears away on the back of her shirt sleeve.

Well, you remember the Leopard mauling we were discussing a few days ago..?

Ah ha! So it was a Leopard!

Yes, Xander, you were right. Revel in the feeling because--

Buffy coughed quietly.

Well, yes, anyway, it was a Leopard. But not just a Leopard, it was also a Lion and Wolf as well...

Leopards and Lions and Wolves... Xander began.

Oh my. Willow finished. They both giggled.

Yes. Thank you Xander, Willow.

So, wait, you're saying that there are three wild animals wandering around in the woods?

Not three just one. The group stared at Giles openly, It seems that the beast had the ability to change its form.

Shapeshifter? Well, no problem. We go and we slay.

I'm afraid we can't. The beast is abstract.

That is to say, that when I was talking about Dante's Divine Comedy the other day, with its allegorical Leopard. I was in fact entirely right.

The beast, whatever it is, changes form to represent its victims worst traits in an allegorical way. For example Wolf meaning avarice or greed, and Lion meaning pride. But because it is an abstract it cannot be fought against physically, as it does not even really exist.

So then how can it kill? I mean, I doubt Mr Disembowelled was, well, disembowelled by his remarkable sense of self-worth.

Feelings. The beast can attack when its prey is emotionally weak.

And let me guess, it has some feelings mojo thing that makes you emotionally weak?

Well, I wouldn't call it a mojo', but yes. You see, this abstract beast can see you, all of you. Fears and weaknesses, and it plays on these.

So this thing is the coming Apocalypse. Sounds a bit... Undermanned, you know?

Buffy, this being never be hurt or die in any conventional way. It may take some time, but eventually it would wipe our race from this planet. Its an eschatological vision.

Hmm. We can't fight it physically but can we fight it with, uh, magic?

Well, I'm not sure if we could find anyone who could wield such power, but yes, there is a dangerous spell we could do that would make the being real, and therefore killable. But I have no idea how powerful it would be once made--

We'll deal about that when we get to it.. Buffy said authoritatively, but when she caught Giles's look she added, I'm not putting it off, but we need to take one step at a time, you've got to find someone with enough power to do this spell first.

Willow shifted uncomfortably in her chair, she pulled her hand out of Oz's but when he looked at her she hadn't even noticed. She was watching Buffy and Giles as if she wanted to say something to them, but in the end she decided not to and leant back into her chair. Oz re-grasped her hand without a word.

Xander eyed the hand-holding going on between Willow and Oz, but knew better than to initiate the same with Cordelia. Unless he wanted to get humiliated again in front of his friends. Great way to live in fear, Xander. Instead he just leant over and spoke to her.

Cordelia, you're being disturbingly quiet. Finally grown a heart and decided to worry about other people?

Cordelia pointed to Buffy's face, her eyes scrutinising. Buffy blinked at Cordelia, and so she offered an explanation.

I was just watching that blob of mascara work its way down your cheek. If you're gonna apply at least do it right. Hello! Waterproof!

Buffy reached up and wiped the mascara off her cheek, leaving a black streaky line. She glared at Cordelia, daring her to say something about it.

(Author's Note: It being the week the chapters posted will be few and far between. Sorry, it should pick up by the weekend. Another 'Thank You' to all the people who have reviewed so far, it adds a bit of light to a week of work :-) )