As soon as the Shaman left with his orders, Danny ran up to Spike who had turned to leave.
"Um, sir?" He managed to say.
"Oh, right. You." Spike said looking at the boy.
"Are you sure Master Angelus wants you to do that? I mean it wouldn't be too good for him since...you know… since he wouldn't be in control of his body."
Spike chuckled, "Master Angelus, huh? Who gives a fuck what *Master* Angelus has to say. From now on I'm going to be master of this clan. Master Spike… has a ring to it, no?"
Danny stared at the rebellious vampire for a moment in shock. "I guess it does…"
"It does. No matter how flattering you are I don't really need a snitch around," He rammed a stake in his heart, " So, I won't need your services anymore."
Danny's eyes widened and he spurted out a weak, "Bu-Bu-But-", before collapsing into dust.
Spike dropped the stake on a chair from which he swiftly picked it up and left. He whistled a jaunty tune as he made his way to the Giles house.
****
Oz awoke to the feeling of heat licking at his face. His eyes shot open and stared into the fiery blaze that once was The Magic Box.
He was slumped up against the door of his van. He got up quickly and opened the door to his van. He tried to ignore the dizzy spell that washed over him. He started his car and got it rolling. He glanced at the flames in his rear view mirror and was suddenly reminded of what he was supposed to do. He looked over to where the bag had been.
Gone.
He sighed and checks the lump that was growing on the side of his forehead. "Well, this is just great."
******
Buffy glanced around at her surroundings. Teenagers of all ages were laughing, dancing, living. The need to feel their pulsating heat inside of her was strong, too strong. She glanced up at Angelus, "Why are we here?"
He looked down at her, "I need to show you something." He grabbed her hand and led her to the second level of the Bronze.
He led her over to the railing and looked down at all the people. "Do you see all of hem? All of the selfish, needy people?" He held her close to him. His cold breath escaping on her equally cold neck. "Do you know how much you have done for them? They dismiss you everyday as if you aren't there. They lie to you, mistreat you."
"No, that's not true…I got an award that…" Buffy tried to object.
"Yes, you did. A shiny umbrella. Very sophisticated. Don't you think you deserve more Buff? Her." He pointed to a blonde haired girl in the Bronze. "She talked about you everyday. Called you a loser, whore whatever she could think of.
"Him." He pointed to a brown haired male, "Thought of you nothing more than a sex toy, something to get off on. Tried to put the moves on you a few times back in high school." He spun her around, "Every detail that you told Angel I memorized. Every person that hurt you, I wanted to hurt. And I will. The main reason I came back to Sunnydale is because someone hurt you. Someone wanted to take what's mine."
Tears gathered in Buffy's eyes as she realized his point. "But, I'm not supposed to have friends or be loved. It's not meant for me."
He guided her back to the railing, "Look at him, Buff. Parker," He scoffed at the name, "Screwing around with some other girl. After lying about you and acting as if you are nothing more than a bad lay."
She pushed off from him, "But you said the same things. You said-"
"And I'm back for more, baby. This time I'm here to stay." He led her down the stairs again, "It's time for you to get what you deserve Buffy. It's time for you to let go. Take in the darkness you've always had and always hid."
Buffy's gaze slid over to where Parker was sitting with an auburn haired girl in his lap. Her gaze grew cold for a moment and went back to Angel. She nodded slightly.
Angelus grinned at her, "Go get him baby. I'll be waiting." He slipped out the front entrance.
Buffy stood for a moment, debating what she should do. It seemed her decision was answered for her when Parker walked up to her.
***
"Ok, we've got weapons. We've got really creepy magic. Oz'll be here soon. And now all we need is a plan." Xander paced back and forth.
"Right. When Oz comes back with the materials and such we should be able to formulate our plan." Giles said his brow furrowed, thinking heavily.
"I wonder what's taken him so long. I hope he's OK." Willow said watching Xander. "Xand, do you think you could sit down for a while?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah, sure." Xander sat down next to Willow on the couch.
"I was just thinking what if Buffy just decided she needed time to cool out." Anya said to them, "Maybe she killed Angelus and just wanted to be alone. That would explain why their blood would be out there."
"Yeah, we should probably check out Buffy's house. To see if she's there before we go on a rescue mission." Xander piped up.
"I don't know guys. Something really weird is going on. The power that went through me during the spell had to go somewhere."
"It did, Red." Spike sauntered in, "It went to really good use."
"Ah, Spike. You must have more information for us." Anya said.
"Yes, I do. It seems that Angelus does have your little Slayer. He's keeping her held up at the Mansion." Spike said not revealing what happened to her.
"Yup, that settles it. We're leaving." Willow got up and went to the table Xander had set up full of weapons.
"Will, wait! This seems a little ridiculous. This guy leaves after trying to keep us out of the alley where Buff and Angelus were. And now that she's gone he wants to try to help us? It's not believable." Xander said, also standing up.
"Look, I'm not trying to help you. I'm trying to get rid of my sire. I don't need him around if I want to live very long. Now you can sit there all slack jawed if you want. That's just longer Angelus has your Slayer." With that Spike left.
"Willow's right. We have to do something." Anya got up and picked up a sharp looking dagger.
"I say we figure out a plan on the way to the mansion." Xander said also picking up a weapon.
"Agreed. Let's go." Giles said.
They all were gathered around the weapons grabbing whatever they could when a voice spoke.
"You guys weren't planning on leaving without me were you?" Oz said, the pain in his head still there.
"Oz!" Willow ran over to her disheveled looking boyfriend, "What's happened?"
"Well I was getting the things you asked me for and I was about to leave when someone hit me."
Willows eyes widened in worry, "Who?"
"Don't know. But whoever it was did not want me to have those things. They took the stuff and burned down the Magic Box."
"And the plot thickens."
****
"Hey Buffy! How's it going?" The black haired man said to her.
"Parker." Buffy whispered back.
"Ah, so you remember my name. How about that. After the school found out about us, you've been distant."
Buffy's eyes narrowed, "There was no us. You lied on me. You told everybody-"
"You pretty much sucked. Yeah, I know. But that's the past, right? And I want to apologize. Want a drink?"
Buffy smiled slowly her gaze wandering to his neck, "Yes. I really do."
"There we go you need to loosen up. Come on over to the bar with me. How about a beer?"
"Yeah. That'd be great." Buffy followed him to the bar and then made a survey of her surroundings. She saw a jealous Harmony glaring at her. She laughed lightly and turned towards Parker again.
"Here. I know you aren't old enough to buy it yourself." He handed her a drink.
She gazed disinterestedly at in then back at him. She sat her drink down, "Forget about the drink. How about we get out of here?" She grabbed his hand and led him toward the exit.
Parker smirked at her sudden change of emotion, "I knew you'd come around, baby."
Buffy glanced back at him. "You have no idea."
"Um, sir?" He managed to say.
"Oh, right. You." Spike said looking at the boy.
"Are you sure Master Angelus wants you to do that? I mean it wouldn't be too good for him since...you know… since he wouldn't be in control of his body."
Spike chuckled, "Master Angelus, huh? Who gives a fuck what *Master* Angelus has to say. From now on I'm going to be master of this clan. Master Spike… has a ring to it, no?"
Danny stared at the rebellious vampire for a moment in shock. "I guess it does…"
"It does. No matter how flattering you are I don't really need a snitch around," He rammed a stake in his heart, " So, I won't need your services anymore."
Danny's eyes widened and he spurted out a weak, "Bu-Bu-But-", before collapsing into dust.
Spike dropped the stake on a chair from which he swiftly picked it up and left. He whistled a jaunty tune as he made his way to the Giles house.
****
Oz awoke to the feeling of heat licking at his face. His eyes shot open and stared into the fiery blaze that once was The Magic Box.
He was slumped up against the door of his van. He got up quickly and opened the door to his van. He tried to ignore the dizzy spell that washed over him. He started his car and got it rolling. He glanced at the flames in his rear view mirror and was suddenly reminded of what he was supposed to do. He looked over to where the bag had been.
Gone.
He sighed and checks the lump that was growing on the side of his forehead. "Well, this is just great."
******
Buffy glanced around at her surroundings. Teenagers of all ages were laughing, dancing, living. The need to feel their pulsating heat inside of her was strong, too strong. She glanced up at Angelus, "Why are we here?"
He looked down at her, "I need to show you something." He grabbed her hand and led her to the second level of the Bronze.
He led her over to the railing and looked down at all the people. "Do you see all of hem? All of the selfish, needy people?" He held her close to him. His cold breath escaping on her equally cold neck. "Do you know how much you have done for them? They dismiss you everyday as if you aren't there. They lie to you, mistreat you."
"No, that's not true…I got an award that…" Buffy tried to object.
"Yes, you did. A shiny umbrella. Very sophisticated. Don't you think you deserve more Buff? Her." He pointed to a blonde haired girl in the Bronze. "She talked about you everyday. Called you a loser, whore whatever she could think of.
"Him." He pointed to a brown haired male, "Thought of you nothing more than a sex toy, something to get off on. Tried to put the moves on you a few times back in high school." He spun her around, "Every detail that you told Angel I memorized. Every person that hurt you, I wanted to hurt. And I will. The main reason I came back to Sunnydale is because someone hurt you. Someone wanted to take what's mine."
Tears gathered in Buffy's eyes as she realized his point. "But, I'm not supposed to have friends or be loved. It's not meant for me."
He guided her back to the railing, "Look at him, Buff. Parker," He scoffed at the name, "Screwing around with some other girl. After lying about you and acting as if you are nothing more than a bad lay."
She pushed off from him, "But you said the same things. You said-"
"And I'm back for more, baby. This time I'm here to stay." He led her down the stairs again, "It's time for you to get what you deserve Buffy. It's time for you to let go. Take in the darkness you've always had and always hid."
Buffy's gaze slid over to where Parker was sitting with an auburn haired girl in his lap. Her gaze grew cold for a moment and went back to Angel. She nodded slightly.
Angelus grinned at her, "Go get him baby. I'll be waiting." He slipped out the front entrance.
Buffy stood for a moment, debating what she should do. It seemed her decision was answered for her when Parker walked up to her.
***
"Ok, we've got weapons. We've got really creepy magic. Oz'll be here soon. And now all we need is a plan." Xander paced back and forth.
"Right. When Oz comes back with the materials and such we should be able to formulate our plan." Giles said his brow furrowed, thinking heavily.
"I wonder what's taken him so long. I hope he's OK." Willow said watching Xander. "Xand, do you think you could sit down for a while?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah, sure." Xander sat down next to Willow on the couch.
"I was just thinking what if Buffy just decided she needed time to cool out." Anya said to them, "Maybe she killed Angelus and just wanted to be alone. That would explain why their blood would be out there."
"Yeah, we should probably check out Buffy's house. To see if she's there before we go on a rescue mission." Xander piped up.
"I don't know guys. Something really weird is going on. The power that went through me during the spell had to go somewhere."
"It did, Red." Spike sauntered in, "It went to really good use."
"Ah, Spike. You must have more information for us." Anya said.
"Yes, I do. It seems that Angelus does have your little Slayer. He's keeping her held up at the Mansion." Spike said not revealing what happened to her.
"Yup, that settles it. We're leaving." Willow got up and went to the table Xander had set up full of weapons.
"Will, wait! This seems a little ridiculous. This guy leaves after trying to keep us out of the alley where Buff and Angelus were. And now that she's gone he wants to try to help us? It's not believable." Xander said, also standing up.
"Look, I'm not trying to help you. I'm trying to get rid of my sire. I don't need him around if I want to live very long. Now you can sit there all slack jawed if you want. That's just longer Angelus has your Slayer." With that Spike left.
"Willow's right. We have to do something." Anya got up and picked up a sharp looking dagger.
"I say we figure out a plan on the way to the mansion." Xander said also picking up a weapon.
"Agreed. Let's go." Giles said.
They all were gathered around the weapons grabbing whatever they could when a voice spoke.
"You guys weren't planning on leaving without me were you?" Oz said, the pain in his head still there.
"Oz!" Willow ran over to her disheveled looking boyfriend, "What's happened?"
"Well I was getting the things you asked me for and I was about to leave when someone hit me."
Willows eyes widened in worry, "Who?"
"Don't know. But whoever it was did not want me to have those things. They took the stuff and burned down the Magic Box."
"And the plot thickens."
****
"Hey Buffy! How's it going?" The black haired man said to her.
"Parker." Buffy whispered back.
"Ah, so you remember my name. How about that. After the school found out about us, you've been distant."
Buffy's eyes narrowed, "There was no us. You lied on me. You told everybody-"
"You pretty much sucked. Yeah, I know. But that's the past, right? And I want to apologize. Want a drink?"
Buffy smiled slowly her gaze wandering to his neck, "Yes. I really do."
"There we go you need to loosen up. Come on over to the bar with me. How about a beer?"
"Yeah. That'd be great." Buffy followed him to the bar and then made a survey of her surroundings. She saw a jealous Harmony glaring at her. She laughed lightly and turned towards Parker again.
"Here. I know you aren't old enough to buy it yourself." He handed her a drink.
She gazed disinterestedly at in then back at him. She sat her drink down, "Forget about the drink. How about we get out of here?" She grabbed his hand and led him toward the exit.
Parker smirked at her sudden change of emotion, "I knew you'd come around, baby."
Buffy glanced back at him. "You have no idea."