The Fall of William
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon owns Btvs.
A/N: Hi all. Once again thank you for all of the wonderful reviews. I am very glad you all have enjoyed this story this far.
~*~
Ch:5
"Okay listen Wills I want you to look up everything that involves Spike. Or more importantly me and Spike. Things we have in common. I need to understand why Quentin is doing this. So help me out here alright? Stay safe."
Willow once again played Buffy's message as she took a seat in her office and turned her computer on.
Anya shifted nervously in the doorway and looked around worry etched on her features.
"Willow we should leave. C'mon we should really get out of here," Anya insisted as she clutched her bag of money closer.
Willow lifted irritated eyes to Anya.
"I told you not to come Anya," she snapped going back to her computer.
"But you were leaving!"
"Yeah. Alone. You are the one who insisted on coming along. I would have been in and out in a matter of minutes. But no you had to take the time to grab your money and bind it and recount it and-"
"It's my money Willow! Money I've worked hard for and I would have stayed but then it would have been me alone. Alone in that house and no one there to protect my money! So is it done?"
Willow blew out a breath and glanced up at Anya some of her irritation easing as the files she was downloading were completed.
"Yeah. Come on. We'll be back in time that no one will notice we were even gone."
Anya let out a relieved breath, shouldered her money, and followed Willow out of her office.
"Why'd we have to come here again? Couldn't you have done this at the safe house? I mean Buffy set it up so we could get into any system in the building from the convenience of home. I know because she asked for my advice and I told here that-You do know when she asked for your help she meant for you to stay in the safe house right?" Anya said casting a sidelong look at Willow who was staring off into space a thoughtful expression on her face.
"Right," Willow responded distractedly as she glanced at the disk in her hand.
"So do you want to know how I grossed over a hundred thousand dollars in little over two months Willow?" Anya asked excitedly. When Willow did not answer, she continued. "Well it was simple really..."
~*~
Xander shouldered his way through the milling bodies of Club Ultimate, Oz following close behind.
"Why are we here again?" Xander yelled over the loud music.
Oz didn't answer him as he made his way to one of the few empty tables and pulled out a chair. He waited for Xander to follow suit and when he took his seat, Oz shoved a piece of paper across the table.
Xander made a face of disgust as he picked it up glancing at the dirty table then at the paper.
"What is this?" he asked curiously, as he looked at it and only saw the address of the club they were currently at.
"Spike owns this club," Oz answered simply.
Xander's brows rose and he shifted uncomfortable in his seat as he looked around quickly.
"Shit," he swore. "Well damn Oz how'd you know that? He's been here this whole time? If I'd known that I would have taken him out," Xander grumbled.
Oz smiled slightly as his eyes roamed around the packed dance floor, up above to the catwalk and then back at Xander.
"That's why Buffy didn't tell you," Oz murmured eyeing Xander closely knowing his reaction was going to be explosive.
But he was wrong.
Xander merely frowned and crossed his arms looking down at the table.
"I don't understand it Oz. She's...she's been keeping his whereabouts to herself. That's...wow that's pretty damn stupid. Especially since it looks like he's after her again. And you knew. Why didn't you do something about him? You know he makes Buffy crazy. She does stupid things when he's involved. I don't understand why she lets him control her."
Oz shrugged.
"He doesn't control her Xander. She's in love with him. Therefore, when she does things that directly affect him she doesn't use her common sense. She follows her heart. We know this. Seen it happen and I understand it. She can't help how she feels. Or what it makes her do. However, that's why we're here Xand. We are her common sense. Her rational mind now. We can do this Xander."
Xander frowned. He liked the sound of Oz's confident voice and wanted to believe him desperately. It would all be so much easier if they just got rid of Spike. Then they'd all be free.
Buffy would be free.
"Is she here?" Xander asked looking around once again.
"Not yet. But there he is," Oz said inclining his head slightly to the catwalk.
Xander didn't turn but gazed steadily at Oz who was slowly getting to his feet.
"You know he probably knows why we're here right? That it won't be easy?" Xander asked as Oz slowly slipped on his jacket.
"But we're the best Xand," Oz answered.
Xander grinned as he rose too.
"You're right. We are. Let's just hope Buffy understands this."
Oz sighed and moving through the crowd let his gaze wander back upwards. Spotting a flash of a peroxide blond weaving through the crowd along the walk, he smiled coldly.
"She won't have a choice."
~*~
Giles took a sip of his cognac and watched the night sky out the small window of the plane he was currently on.
His mind was miles away.
Miles behind him with his surrogate family.
He knew he shouldn't be leaving not at this time but there was nothing he could do. Nothing that would be of any use any way.
He would only hinder Buffy and he didn't want her to be distracted when she took this on. She would need all the strength she had in her to do this.
Letting a breath out he recalled the conversation he'd had with Buffy earlier. It had been a coded message that had caused the slightest bit of suspicion from Quentin and that was why he was now on this plane headed for Nassau. It hadn't been much but he hoped Buffy understood it.
Having worked for the government for going on 25 years now, he knew a thing or two about cover-ups. Knew what it meant when you were out in the field. What you did there to accomplish the goal for the greater good of the world.
He'd known what it had been like to have grand ideals and the hope of saving the world one day. Nevertheless, as the years passed so did the grandeur of the job. It wasn't routine by any means. However, seeing all the wealth and the luxury in which the criminals they took down daily lived it was a daily struggle to keep going, never giving into temptation.
Many an agent for the branch of government he worked for had given in and been caught and paid with their lives for it. He himself had been on the verge of giving in that was until he'd met Buffy.
A rueful smile appeared on his face as he thought of his almost daughter. She'd been a fresh faced girl of twenty. Ready to and willing to save the world, fight bad guys and generally live out a dream of hers. It had been a blessing that her father Hank had clients that worked for the government. They had pulled a few strings to get his daughter into the trial period of this secretive extended branch of the CIA. Buffy had passed them all with flying colors much to the surprise of Quentin Travers. Who abhorred nepotism.
He'd taken her under his wing, it had warmed and soothed his cynical mind to see her so open and untainted. He'd taught her all he could and when she'd completed her first assignment he'd fussed and preened like a proud mother hen.
Quickly she'd become the best. Taking down all those who had never been touched before. They had nicknamed her the Slayer in the criminal worlds. She came and slayed. Ruthlessly took you down and destroyed you.
Years had passed and Giles had slowly let his protégée spread her wings and soon she'd amassed her own little group of misfits. A group of people looking at them you would never know were some of the best in what they did. Quite a team they were. Called themselves the atrocious name of The Scoobies.
Buffy was such a smart woman, Giles mused. But at times, she could be blind, couldn't see what was right in front of her and that was why Quentin wanted her dead. Buffy had the potential if she opened her eyes to take him down and he wasn't going to let that happen.
While Giles hadn't figured out everything he was certain if, prompted Buffy would deal with this accordingly and soon he'd be back in the States. Picking up where he'd left off.
But Buffy would only be able to see clearly if she didn't become immersed with William the Bloody again.
Giles frowned.
Spike as he was commonly known amongst the Scoobies, was the only blemish Buffy had on her record and it was a blemish that had caused her to resign and start her own consultant business five years ago. If Buffy had any weakness, it was him. Spike was a weakness that Giles was sure Quentin wouldn't mind using to get to Buffy if he had too.
He just hoped Buffy wouldn't fall for it.
Turning he glanced at the two women resting beside him and let an affectionate smile form.
His eyes lifted to the aisle across from them and met Faith's.
He knew once she saw them safely to the island she'd be back to help Buffy and though she was reckless and had never followed the rules while she'd been employed by him she was one of the best.
She would watch Buffy's back.
It eased his mind and casting one last look at Joyce and Dawn he closed his eyes and fell into a dreamless sleep.
~*~
Buffy paused inside the doorway of the small dimly lit room and let her eyes rest on the room' s only occupant a moment before she strode in and closing the door behind her.
Locked it.
"I thought you would come," was the only thing that broke the silence as Buffy stood in the middle of the room staring at the person who sat perched on a window seat staring out at the night sky.
"Did you?" Buffy asked curiously, as she studied the woman before her.
Slivers of moonlight slipped past the curtains and cast Drusilla in its faint light. Her pale skin was even paler than Buffy remembered and her black eyes were huge and doe like in her too thin face and the redness of her lips was in stark contrast to the paleness of her skin.
Her black hair was pulled tightly back into a bun, enhancing the planes of her face.
"How do I look?" Dru asked drolly as she glanced up at Buffy and watched as Buffy dropped her gaze and looked anywhere but at her. She let out a choked laugh and turned from the window to face Buffy.
"You look like shit," Buffy spoke glancing back up and meeting Dru's eyes once again.
Buffy shifted uncomfortable. Dru always made her feel like this. As if she didn't have the capacity to understand half the things, Dru did. Dru was so....
Crazy, a little voice in her head hissed. Buffy brushed it aside. Dru was someone who had the power to unnerve Buffy and it made her uncomfortable and slightly angry that she was never in control when she was around Dru.
"Well so do you. So we're even. What do you want?" Dru demanded as she rose fluidly and wandered toward Buffy. "What can I do for you?"
Buffy swallowed and crossed her arms across her chest defensively as Dru came ever closer.
"You know a lot of things don't you Dru? Well I want to know what you know. I want to know about Quentin Travers."
Dru's eyelids jerked and that was her only reaction to Buffy's statement as she slowly circled Buffy swaying slightly.
"That's not what you want to talk about. You want to talk about sweet William," Dru hissed reaching out.
Buffy caught her hand, held it tight.
"No. I don't," she muttered before she tossed Dru's thin hand aside.
"Of course not," Dru agreed as she laughed a laugh that sent chills down Buffy's entire body. "You want me to talk. Well I can do that. William is such a wonderful man...so sweet...so kind. You ruined him."
Buffy flinched and closed her eyes. This had been a mistake. Dru knew how to push her buttons like few else and she was doing exactly that.
"I don't want to hear about Spike," Buffy yelled as she glared at Dru and resisted the urge to pull out one of those knives Anya gave her and use it on Drusilla. "And certainly not from you Dru! So what ever it is you think you know shut it and tell me about Quentin."
Dru let a pout appear as she flopped back down on her window seat and gazed up at Buffy.
"He met you and forgot about me," Dru continued as if Buffy had not spoken. "I became a memory. A distant thought. Until I was gone and nothing was left but you. Nasty Slayer came and took m'William away. So involved in your little dance you didn't even realize. Couldn't see.... Spike always wanted me. Even when I married Angel, he wanted me and I enjoyed it. I reveled in it. He was the one thing I couldn't have, couldn't let myself have. I knew...."
Buffy sighed deeply an ache beginning to form in the pit of her stomach as she listened to Dru.
She hated that Dru knew almost as much and had more history with Spike than she did. She hated that Dru was right, that Spike had wanted her. Even though she'd been married. That once Spike met her there had been no one else on his mind. Including Dru.
It had been all consuming.
"...that if I let myself it would consume me. Take me over. He isn't an easy man to love is he? Rough and gentle. Violent and intoxicating all in one breath. He loves with all his heart and soul and I couldn't handle that," Buffy heard Dru say dimly.
Rousing herself from her thoughts, Buffy smirked.
"So that's why you married Angel?" she asked sarcastically. "Couldn't handle being loved and chose that bastard over Spike. Well Dru guess they're right when they say you're crazy," she mocked. "Who would do that? Spike is so much-"Buffy cut herself off. She'd done exactly what Dru had wanted. Gotten involved in a conversation she did not intend in being involved in.
She scowled and turned away.
"Do you remember the first time we met Buffy?" Dru's voice stopped her.
"No," Buffy lied.
"Of course you do. No need to lie. When we met, I hated you Buffy. I hated that Spike wanted you now. That his obsession with me had ended. But I wasn't so wrapped up in you two not to notice other interesting things...."
Buffy swung back and eyed Dru with cold eyes.
"Such as?" she asked quietly switching into Slayer mode.
"Such as my husband's conversation with a certain man by the name of Quentin Travers," Dru stated smugly. "Now do you remember when we first met?"
"Yes," Buffy truthfully answered this time.
"Then think back," Dru ordered.
~*~
It had been relatively easy taking out the guards at the top of the stairs. A little hand to hand and it was over.
Easy.
The next step was getting to the closed off elevator that led to the floor where Spike's office was.
Oz and Xander each handled two at a time as guards came from all directions.
It was messy.
It was intense.
It was fun.
It was like old times.
Their entrance and had not gone unnoticed by the patrons of the club who were busily staring up at the catwalk as guards flew over the railing and landed on the dance floor.
Women screamed and men looked on in wonder as finally Oz and Xander made it to the elevator.
It opened up easily enough, stepping in Xander gave their audience a two- fingered salute, and Oz shook his head as the doors slid shut.
"That was like old times," Xander gasped out.
Oz rolled his eyes and patted the small gut Xander had grown over the years.
"Except you're a little out of shape man," he remarked. "I'm surprised Anya's keepin' you around looking like that. She is always going on about how she likes a toned man. A man with-"
"I know," Xander interrupted his cheeks tinged with red. "I've let myself go okay? What's the harm we haven't been out in the field in years! Anya loves me," Xander cried out defensively as the doors swished open.
"Well you'd better use some of your money to get back in shape. Or she'll turn to someone else. Namely her money," Oz said with a laugh as they stepped out guns raised.
They were silent as they made their way down the hall.
At the end of the hall, a light shined like a beacon.
"On three," Oz whispered as they approached the door.
Xander nodded in consent and on the whispered count of three Xander rammed his shoulder into the door and they stepped in guns firing.
Only to come to an abrupt halt as they saw no one in the office.
"What the h-"Xander began.
"Um....please don't shoot," a timid voice came from beneath the desk as a bleached blond head popped up.
Oz lowered his gun and glanced at Xander who was staring at the man who had emerged from beneath the desk in shock.
Finally, he looked at Oz.
"If he isn't here then where is he?" Xander asked.
~*~
Willow pulled out her keys and hurried her pace as they hurried through the lobby of Watcher Co.
Anya lagged behind, as she was involved with checking on her money and trying to recall if she'd left any up at her desk.
"Hurry up Anya," Willow urged as she stepped through the revolving doors.
Anya hurried after Willow and waited patiently while Willow crouched down to lock the doors back in place and then spoke.
"So you know when I said this was a bad idea?" Anya asked.
Willow groaned.
"Anya," Willow snapped beyond fed up. "I told you-"
"This was a bad idea," Anya interrupted. "Because things like this always seem to happen to us," Anya jerked her chin in the direction of their car.
Willow froze and turned slowly.
Sitting nonchalantly on the hood of their car Spike grinned at them.
Gave them a little wave.
Lifted his gun and pointed at them.
"'Ello ducks," he drawled out.
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon owns Btvs.
A/N: Hi all. Once again thank you for all of the wonderful reviews. I am very glad you all have enjoyed this story this far.
~*~
Ch:5
"Okay listen Wills I want you to look up everything that involves Spike. Or more importantly me and Spike. Things we have in common. I need to understand why Quentin is doing this. So help me out here alright? Stay safe."
Willow once again played Buffy's message as she took a seat in her office and turned her computer on.
Anya shifted nervously in the doorway and looked around worry etched on her features.
"Willow we should leave. C'mon we should really get out of here," Anya insisted as she clutched her bag of money closer.
Willow lifted irritated eyes to Anya.
"I told you not to come Anya," she snapped going back to her computer.
"But you were leaving!"
"Yeah. Alone. You are the one who insisted on coming along. I would have been in and out in a matter of minutes. But no you had to take the time to grab your money and bind it and recount it and-"
"It's my money Willow! Money I've worked hard for and I would have stayed but then it would have been me alone. Alone in that house and no one there to protect my money! So is it done?"
Willow blew out a breath and glanced up at Anya some of her irritation easing as the files she was downloading were completed.
"Yeah. Come on. We'll be back in time that no one will notice we were even gone."
Anya let out a relieved breath, shouldered her money, and followed Willow out of her office.
"Why'd we have to come here again? Couldn't you have done this at the safe house? I mean Buffy set it up so we could get into any system in the building from the convenience of home. I know because she asked for my advice and I told here that-You do know when she asked for your help she meant for you to stay in the safe house right?" Anya said casting a sidelong look at Willow who was staring off into space a thoughtful expression on her face.
"Right," Willow responded distractedly as she glanced at the disk in her hand.
"So do you want to know how I grossed over a hundred thousand dollars in little over two months Willow?" Anya asked excitedly. When Willow did not answer, she continued. "Well it was simple really..."
~*~
Xander shouldered his way through the milling bodies of Club Ultimate, Oz following close behind.
"Why are we here again?" Xander yelled over the loud music.
Oz didn't answer him as he made his way to one of the few empty tables and pulled out a chair. He waited for Xander to follow suit and when he took his seat, Oz shoved a piece of paper across the table.
Xander made a face of disgust as he picked it up glancing at the dirty table then at the paper.
"What is this?" he asked curiously, as he looked at it and only saw the address of the club they were currently at.
"Spike owns this club," Oz answered simply.
Xander's brows rose and he shifted uncomfortable in his seat as he looked around quickly.
"Shit," he swore. "Well damn Oz how'd you know that? He's been here this whole time? If I'd known that I would have taken him out," Xander grumbled.
Oz smiled slightly as his eyes roamed around the packed dance floor, up above to the catwalk and then back at Xander.
"That's why Buffy didn't tell you," Oz murmured eyeing Xander closely knowing his reaction was going to be explosive.
But he was wrong.
Xander merely frowned and crossed his arms looking down at the table.
"I don't understand it Oz. She's...she's been keeping his whereabouts to herself. That's...wow that's pretty damn stupid. Especially since it looks like he's after her again. And you knew. Why didn't you do something about him? You know he makes Buffy crazy. She does stupid things when he's involved. I don't understand why she lets him control her."
Oz shrugged.
"He doesn't control her Xander. She's in love with him. Therefore, when she does things that directly affect him she doesn't use her common sense. She follows her heart. We know this. Seen it happen and I understand it. She can't help how she feels. Or what it makes her do. However, that's why we're here Xand. We are her common sense. Her rational mind now. We can do this Xander."
Xander frowned. He liked the sound of Oz's confident voice and wanted to believe him desperately. It would all be so much easier if they just got rid of Spike. Then they'd all be free.
Buffy would be free.
"Is she here?" Xander asked looking around once again.
"Not yet. But there he is," Oz said inclining his head slightly to the catwalk.
Xander didn't turn but gazed steadily at Oz who was slowly getting to his feet.
"You know he probably knows why we're here right? That it won't be easy?" Xander asked as Oz slowly slipped on his jacket.
"But we're the best Xand," Oz answered.
Xander grinned as he rose too.
"You're right. We are. Let's just hope Buffy understands this."
Oz sighed and moving through the crowd let his gaze wander back upwards. Spotting a flash of a peroxide blond weaving through the crowd along the walk, he smiled coldly.
"She won't have a choice."
~*~
Giles took a sip of his cognac and watched the night sky out the small window of the plane he was currently on.
His mind was miles away.
Miles behind him with his surrogate family.
He knew he shouldn't be leaving not at this time but there was nothing he could do. Nothing that would be of any use any way.
He would only hinder Buffy and he didn't want her to be distracted when she took this on. She would need all the strength she had in her to do this.
Letting a breath out he recalled the conversation he'd had with Buffy earlier. It had been a coded message that had caused the slightest bit of suspicion from Quentin and that was why he was now on this plane headed for Nassau. It hadn't been much but he hoped Buffy understood it.
Having worked for the government for going on 25 years now, he knew a thing or two about cover-ups. Knew what it meant when you were out in the field. What you did there to accomplish the goal for the greater good of the world.
He'd known what it had been like to have grand ideals and the hope of saving the world one day. Nevertheless, as the years passed so did the grandeur of the job. It wasn't routine by any means. However, seeing all the wealth and the luxury in which the criminals they took down daily lived it was a daily struggle to keep going, never giving into temptation.
Many an agent for the branch of government he worked for had given in and been caught and paid with their lives for it. He himself had been on the verge of giving in that was until he'd met Buffy.
A rueful smile appeared on his face as he thought of his almost daughter. She'd been a fresh faced girl of twenty. Ready to and willing to save the world, fight bad guys and generally live out a dream of hers. It had been a blessing that her father Hank had clients that worked for the government. They had pulled a few strings to get his daughter into the trial period of this secretive extended branch of the CIA. Buffy had passed them all with flying colors much to the surprise of Quentin Travers. Who abhorred nepotism.
He'd taken her under his wing, it had warmed and soothed his cynical mind to see her so open and untainted. He'd taught her all he could and when she'd completed her first assignment he'd fussed and preened like a proud mother hen.
Quickly she'd become the best. Taking down all those who had never been touched before. They had nicknamed her the Slayer in the criminal worlds. She came and slayed. Ruthlessly took you down and destroyed you.
Years had passed and Giles had slowly let his protégée spread her wings and soon she'd amassed her own little group of misfits. A group of people looking at them you would never know were some of the best in what they did. Quite a team they were. Called themselves the atrocious name of The Scoobies.
Buffy was such a smart woman, Giles mused. But at times, she could be blind, couldn't see what was right in front of her and that was why Quentin wanted her dead. Buffy had the potential if she opened her eyes to take him down and he wasn't going to let that happen.
While Giles hadn't figured out everything he was certain if, prompted Buffy would deal with this accordingly and soon he'd be back in the States. Picking up where he'd left off.
But Buffy would only be able to see clearly if she didn't become immersed with William the Bloody again.
Giles frowned.
Spike as he was commonly known amongst the Scoobies, was the only blemish Buffy had on her record and it was a blemish that had caused her to resign and start her own consultant business five years ago. If Buffy had any weakness, it was him. Spike was a weakness that Giles was sure Quentin wouldn't mind using to get to Buffy if he had too.
He just hoped Buffy wouldn't fall for it.
Turning he glanced at the two women resting beside him and let an affectionate smile form.
His eyes lifted to the aisle across from them and met Faith's.
He knew once she saw them safely to the island she'd be back to help Buffy and though she was reckless and had never followed the rules while she'd been employed by him she was one of the best.
She would watch Buffy's back.
It eased his mind and casting one last look at Joyce and Dawn he closed his eyes and fell into a dreamless sleep.
~*~
Buffy paused inside the doorway of the small dimly lit room and let her eyes rest on the room' s only occupant a moment before she strode in and closing the door behind her.
Locked it.
"I thought you would come," was the only thing that broke the silence as Buffy stood in the middle of the room staring at the person who sat perched on a window seat staring out at the night sky.
"Did you?" Buffy asked curiously, as she studied the woman before her.
Slivers of moonlight slipped past the curtains and cast Drusilla in its faint light. Her pale skin was even paler than Buffy remembered and her black eyes were huge and doe like in her too thin face and the redness of her lips was in stark contrast to the paleness of her skin.
Her black hair was pulled tightly back into a bun, enhancing the planes of her face.
"How do I look?" Dru asked drolly as she glanced up at Buffy and watched as Buffy dropped her gaze and looked anywhere but at her. She let out a choked laugh and turned from the window to face Buffy.
"You look like shit," Buffy spoke glancing back up and meeting Dru's eyes once again.
Buffy shifted uncomfortable. Dru always made her feel like this. As if she didn't have the capacity to understand half the things, Dru did. Dru was so....
Crazy, a little voice in her head hissed. Buffy brushed it aside. Dru was someone who had the power to unnerve Buffy and it made her uncomfortable and slightly angry that she was never in control when she was around Dru.
"Well so do you. So we're even. What do you want?" Dru demanded as she rose fluidly and wandered toward Buffy. "What can I do for you?"
Buffy swallowed and crossed her arms across her chest defensively as Dru came ever closer.
"You know a lot of things don't you Dru? Well I want to know what you know. I want to know about Quentin Travers."
Dru's eyelids jerked and that was her only reaction to Buffy's statement as she slowly circled Buffy swaying slightly.
"That's not what you want to talk about. You want to talk about sweet William," Dru hissed reaching out.
Buffy caught her hand, held it tight.
"No. I don't," she muttered before she tossed Dru's thin hand aside.
"Of course not," Dru agreed as she laughed a laugh that sent chills down Buffy's entire body. "You want me to talk. Well I can do that. William is such a wonderful man...so sweet...so kind. You ruined him."
Buffy flinched and closed her eyes. This had been a mistake. Dru knew how to push her buttons like few else and she was doing exactly that.
"I don't want to hear about Spike," Buffy yelled as she glared at Dru and resisted the urge to pull out one of those knives Anya gave her and use it on Drusilla. "And certainly not from you Dru! So what ever it is you think you know shut it and tell me about Quentin."
Dru let a pout appear as she flopped back down on her window seat and gazed up at Buffy.
"He met you and forgot about me," Dru continued as if Buffy had not spoken. "I became a memory. A distant thought. Until I was gone and nothing was left but you. Nasty Slayer came and took m'William away. So involved in your little dance you didn't even realize. Couldn't see.... Spike always wanted me. Even when I married Angel, he wanted me and I enjoyed it. I reveled in it. He was the one thing I couldn't have, couldn't let myself have. I knew...."
Buffy sighed deeply an ache beginning to form in the pit of her stomach as she listened to Dru.
She hated that Dru knew almost as much and had more history with Spike than she did. She hated that Dru was right, that Spike had wanted her. Even though she'd been married. That once Spike met her there had been no one else on his mind. Including Dru.
It had been all consuming.
"...that if I let myself it would consume me. Take me over. He isn't an easy man to love is he? Rough and gentle. Violent and intoxicating all in one breath. He loves with all his heart and soul and I couldn't handle that," Buffy heard Dru say dimly.
Rousing herself from her thoughts, Buffy smirked.
"So that's why you married Angel?" she asked sarcastically. "Couldn't handle being loved and chose that bastard over Spike. Well Dru guess they're right when they say you're crazy," she mocked. "Who would do that? Spike is so much-"Buffy cut herself off. She'd done exactly what Dru had wanted. Gotten involved in a conversation she did not intend in being involved in.
She scowled and turned away.
"Do you remember the first time we met Buffy?" Dru's voice stopped her.
"No," Buffy lied.
"Of course you do. No need to lie. When we met, I hated you Buffy. I hated that Spike wanted you now. That his obsession with me had ended. But I wasn't so wrapped up in you two not to notice other interesting things...."
Buffy swung back and eyed Dru with cold eyes.
"Such as?" she asked quietly switching into Slayer mode.
"Such as my husband's conversation with a certain man by the name of Quentin Travers," Dru stated smugly. "Now do you remember when we first met?"
"Yes," Buffy truthfully answered this time.
"Then think back," Dru ordered.
~*~
It had been relatively easy taking out the guards at the top of the stairs. A little hand to hand and it was over.
Easy.
The next step was getting to the closed off elevator that led to the floor where Spike's office was.
Oz and Xander each handled two at a time as guards came from all directions.
It was messy.
It was intense.
It was fun.
It was like old times.
Their entrance and had not gone unnoticed by the patrons of the club who were busily staring up at the catwalk as guards flew over the railing and landed on the dance floor.
Women screamed and men looked on in wonder as finally Oz and Xander made it to the elevator.
It opened up easily enough, stepping in Xander gave their audience a two- fingered salute, and Oz shook his head as the doors slid shut.
"That was like old times," Xander gasped out.
Oz rolled his eyes and patted the small gut Xander had grown over the years.
"Except you're a little out of shape man," he remarked. "I'm surprised Anya's keepin' you around looking like that. She is always going on about how she likes a toned man. A man with-"
"I know," Xander interrupted his cheeks tinged with red. "I've let myself go okay? What's the harm we haven't been out in the field in years! Anya loves me," Xander cried out defensively as the doors swished open.
"Well you'd better use some of your money to get back in shape. Or she'll turn to someone else. Namely her money," Oz said with a laugh as they stepped out guns raised.
They were silent as they made their way down the hall.
At the end of the hall, a light shined like a beacon.
"On three," Oz whispered as they approached the door.
Xander nodded in consent and on the whispered count of three Xander rammed his shoulder into the door and they stepped in guns firing.
Only to come to an abrupt halt as they saw no one in the office.
"What the h-"Xander began.
"Um....please don't shoot," a timid voice came from beneath the desk as a bleached blond head popped up.
Oz lowered his gun and glanced at Xander who was staring at the man who had emerged from beneath the desk in shock.
Finally, he looked at Oz.
"If he isn't here then where is he?" Xander asked.
~*~
Willow pulled out her keys and hurried her pace as they hurried through the lobby of Watcher Co.
Anya lagged behind, as she was involved with checking on her money and trying to recall if she'd left any up at her desk.
"Hurry up Anya," Willow urged as she stepped through the revolving doors.
Anya hurried after Willow and waited patiently while Willow crouched down to lock the doors back in place and then spoke.
"So you know when I said this was a bad idea?" Anya asked.
Willow groaned.
"Anya," Willow snapped beyond fed up. "I told you-"
"This was a bad idea," Anya interrupted. "Because things like this always seem to happen to us," Anya jerked her chin in the direction of their car.
Willow froze and turned slowly.
Sitting nonchalantly on the hood of their car Spike grinned at them.
Gave them a little wave.
Lifted his gun and pointed at them.
"'Ello ducks," he drawled out.