Author's note: After many requests (and much nagging Just kidding) I will conclude this story.
What I do need are reviews–reviews and more of those since the lack of the same is what made
me stop in the first place (I didn't see any interest). And before you ask I will also be concluding
"Parts Unknown" alongside this one.
A brief recap. Spike is back in the Slayer's heart after an eight month absence at the end of
"Experimental". Their relationship picks up where they left off although Spike does not move in
with her. This is so because he is living with Dru in an abandoned factory. He no longer loves
her but knows that she can foretell Buffy's future and he needs all the information that he can
get. Angel is Buffy's ally although he wishes he were something more but Buffy is too attached
to Spike to offer anything beyond friendship that is until she learns from Xander that Spike and
Dru are a couple. Her pain and humiliation drive her towards sharing one night with Angel.
And unfortunately her brash action has terrible circumstances as Angel loses his soul and
becomes Angelus. He joins Spike and Dru but when he reveals to the former what he and the
Slayer have done the vampire is heartbroken at the betrayal. As Angelus begins his reign of
terror Buffy plans revenge and the scoobies gear for the fight of their lives because fate has just
thrown a very unexpected variable to the mix.
Chapter 17
The abandoned warehouse was as empty as her heart.
The Slayer walked around the cavernous building searching for any traces of the vampire's that
had inhabited until very recently. There were a few bits of lace scattered about and she picked
up a tiny doll shoe. Buffy inspected it coldly.
It was very old but still beautifully detailed with tiny little flowers carved into the brown leather.
She ran a fingernail through the worn material and then let it drop to the floor. The diminutive
accessory was crushed under the Slayer's heel.
Finding nothing of use, Buffy walked out of the factory. The pain of betrayal still burning in her
heart.
***
It had been a beautiful home in its time but now the old mansion had fallen into a state of
disrepair much like the family that had previously owned it.
Still, it was leagues away in comfort from the factory so Drusilla was pleased.
She danced around the empty rooms, carefully avoiding the sunlight filtering through from the
many windows. Her daddy had done good.
Angelus agreed. He found the mansion more a more fitting place to begin building his army in.
Then Sunnydale would crumble under him and the Slayer and her little gang would now what a
true demon was. His anticipation was making him almost giddy.
As for Spike... he found that he didn't care either way. The world could come to an end and it
wouldn't faze him as such was the state of his spirit. His mind was slowly accepting Buffy's
betrayal but he was still crushed by the reality of it. His Buffy, his savior, his love, his
everything had been lying to him when she'd said he loved him. She had been acting and had
been able to fool his blind heart and the pain of knowledge was killing him.
It was worse than being a prisoner of the Initiative.
Aimless, he wondered what he would do now. He found that he still wanted to protect her and
so through the tatters of his heart he set about to continue his initial plan. Now that Angelus had
been added to the mix, Sunnydale had become an extremely vulnerable spot for Buffy and the
rest of humanity. Spike was well aware of his grandsire's viciousness and cruelty. It made his
own past endeavors seem tame by comparison.
And with that realization Spike set about to defeating Angelus from the inside hoping that he
would get something of himself back when he did so. He seriously doubted it thought but all he
knew was that he wanted Buffy safe and happy even if her happiness did not include him.
***
It was a very worried Jenny Calendar that entered the home she shared with the Watcher. She
had left her uncle behind on his hotel and had sped across Sunnydale to get to Giles. She was
determined to tell him the truth even if he never wanted to see her again.
The finality of her uncle's words had made her realize that there was more at stake that Angelus'
broken curse. It was Buffy's life and Buffy was Giles' life in many ways. Knowing that she had
to tell him the truth.
He was in his study busily translating a text from ancient Latin. His glasses were perched low in
his nose so she knew that whatever he was reading had his full attention. She made her way
inside quietly and put her arms around him. The watcher was startled but quickly eased into the
familiar touch.
"I missed you, How is your uncle? Did he get in alright?"he asked
"He made it. We had a long talk so that's why I am so late. I hope you weren't worried" she
was trying to put of the inevitable
"Long talk then. Is anything wrong?"
Jenny took a deep breath and proceeded to tell him the truth for the first time.
***
When she was done the Watcher felt surprisingly numb. That was strange considering that the
woman he loved had just told him that it had all been a lie. That she had approached him
because of her 'mission' to get close to the Slayer and her people.
It had all been an act.
He had been so stupid in believing that a woman like Jenny could find him attractive. He who
had grown stuffy and dull under the heavy weight of responsibility. And now Buffy and the
world was in danger due to his blindness.
Through her tears, Jenny tried to make him understand what he was to her but he paid no heed to
her words. Turning his back he dismissed the woman whom he'd wanted to build a future with.
Seeing the impossibility of his forgiveness Jenny walked out of the study and out of the house
knowing full well that she would probably never be welcomed back.
When the door clicked shut Giles focused on the slight trembling of his hands. It seemed like
reality was finally catching up with his brain. Yet, his role took precedence over the needs of
the man so he set about looking for the book that was written on the line of Aurelius. The well
worn tome contained the most complete section on the vampire Angelus and the curse that had
given him back his soul.
He was so enraptured in the specifics of the curse that he did not sense that the door to his study
had opened once more. He did soon enough when an icy voice with a slightly pronounced Irish
brogue broke his concentration.
"So Watcher. I have a feeling you're going to regret inviting me into your home"
Angelus.
TBC.
Ahh... poor Spike and Giles. Getting your heart ripped up to shreds is no fun. Well get ready
for bucket fulls of angst as no one would be left unscathed on Angelus' rampage.
What I do need are reviews–reviews and more of those since the lack of the same is what made
me stop in the first place (I didn't see any interest). And before you ask I will also be concluding
"Parts Unknown" alongside this one.
A brief recap. Spike is back in the Slayer's heart after an eight month absence at the end of
"Experimental". Their relationship picks up where they left off although Spike does not move in
with her. This is so because he is living with Dru in an abandoned factory. He no longer loves
her but knows that she can foretell Buffy's future and he needs all the information that he can
get. Angel is Buffy's ally although he wishes he were something more but Buffy is too attached
to Spike to offer anything beyond friendship that is until she learns from Xander that Spike and
Dru are a couple. Her pain and humiliation drive her towards sharing one night with Angel.
And unfortunately her brash action has terrible circumstances as Angel loses his soul and
becomes Angelus. He joins Spike and Dru but when he reveals to the former what he and the
Slayer have done the vampire is heartbroken at the betrayal. As Angelus begins his reign of
terror Buffy plans revenge and the scoobies gear for the fight of their lives because fate has just
thrown a very unexpected variable to the mix.
Chapter 17
The abandoned warehouse was as empty as her heart.
The Slayer walked around the cavernous building searching for any traces of the vampire's that
had inhabited until very recently. There were a few bits of lace scattered about and she picked
up a tiny doll shoe. Buffy inspected it coldly.
It was very old but still beautifully detailed with tiny little flowers carved into the brown leather.
She ran a fingernail through the worn material and then let it drop to the floor. The diminutive
accessory was crushed under the Slayer's heel.
Finding nothing of use, Buffy walked out of the factory. The pain of betrayal still burning in her
heart.
***
It had been a beautiful home in its time but now the old mansion had fallen into a state of
disrepair much like the family that had previously owned it.
Still, it was leagues away in comfort from the factory so Drusilla was pleased.
She danced around the empty rooms, carefully avoiding the sunlight filtering through from the
many windows. Her daddy had done good.
Angelus agreed. He found the mansion more a more fitting place to begin building his army in.
Then Sunnydale would crumble under him and the Slayer and her little gang would now what a
true demon was. His anticipation was making him almost giddy.
As for Spike... he found that he didn't care either way. The world could come to an end and it
wouldn't faze him as such was the state of his spirit. His mind was slowly accepting Buffy's
betrayal but he was still crushed by the reality of it. His Buffy, his savior, his love, his
everything had been lying to him when she'd said he loved him. She had been acting and had
been able to fool his blind heart and the pain of knowledge was killing him.
It was worse than being a prisoner of the Initiative.
Aimless, he wondered what he would do now. He found that he still wanted to protect her and
so through the tatters of his heart he set about to continue his initial plan. Now that Angelus had
been added to the mix, Sunnydale had become an extremely vulnerable spot for Buffy and the
rest of humanity. Spike was well aware of his grandsire's viciousness and cruelty. It made his
own past endeavors seem tame by comparison.
And with that realization Spike set about to defeating Angelus from the inside hoping that he
would get something of himself back when he did so. He seriously doubted it thought but all he
knew was that he wanted Buffy safe and happy even if her happiness did not include him.
***
It was a very worried Jenny Calendar that entered the home she shared with the Watcher. She
had left her uncle behind on his hotel and had sped across Sunnydale to get to Giles. She was
determined to tell him the truth even if he never wanted to see her again.
The finality of her uncle's words had made her realize that there was more at stake that Angelus'
broken curse. It was Buffy's life and Buffy was Giles' life in many ways. Knowing that she had
to tell him the truth.
He was in his study busily translating a text from ancient Latin. His glasses were perched low in
his nose so she knew that whatever he was reading had his full attention. She made her way
inside quietly and put her arms around him. The watcher was startled but quickly eased into the
familiar touch.
"I missed you, How is your uncle? Did he get in alright?"he asked
"He made it. We had a long talk so that's why I am so late. I hope you weren't worried" she
was trying to put of the inevitable
"Long talk then. Is anything wrong?"
Jenny took a deep breath and proceeded to tell him the truth for the first time.
***
When she was done the Watcher felt surprisingly numb. That was strange considering that the
woman he loved had just told him that it had all been a lie. That she had approached him
because of her 'mission' to get close to the Slayer and her people.
It had all been an act.
He had been so stupid in believing that a woman like Jenny could find him attractive. He who
had grown stuffy and dull under the heavy weight of responsibility. And now Buffy and the
world was in danger due to his blindness.
Through her tears, Jenny tried to make him understand what he was to her but he paid no heed to
her words. Turning his back he dismissed the woman whom he'd wanted to build a future with.
Seeing the impossibility of his forgiveness Jenny walked out of the study and out of the house
knowing full well that she would probably never be welcomed back.
When the door clicked shut Giles focused on the slight trembling of his hands. It seemed like
reality was finally catching up with his brain. Yet, his role took precedence over the needs of
the man so he set about looking for the book that was written on the line of Aurelius. The well
worn tome contained the most complete section on the vampire Angelus and the curse that had
given him back his soul.
He was so enraptured in the specifics of the curse that he did not sense that the door to his study
had opened once more. He did soon enough when an icy voice with a slightly pronounced Irish
brogue broke his concentration.
"So Watcher. I have a feeling you're going to regret inviting me into your home"
Angelus.
TBC.
Ahh... poor Spike and Giles. Getting your heart ripped up to shreds is no fun. Well get ready
for bucket fulls of angst as no one would be left unscathed on Angelus' rampage.