Clover got dress faster then she had ever before. She put on her red short sleeve shirt with a cross on it, brown pants, and comfy brown boots. She quickly put her hair on top of her head in a ponytail. She put on her leather jacket and put as many stakes as she could find on her person. Clover grabbed some garlic and rubbed it on her neck just in case.

The Slayer opened her door and found Spike right where she had left him, leaning against the wall across from her room.

"Let's go," she told him as she started to walk down the stairs.

Spike saluted her and followed her down. "What ever you say, Slayer."

Once outside, they jumped in his car and headed for the school.

*

Clover got out of the car and slammed the door. "Stay here," she told him, " and don't ditch me," she added. She ran across the quad and up the stairs. Once at Dustin's office, Clover tried to open the door, found it locked, so she broke it open. She checked her watch; 2:45. ' Hurry,' she thought to herself as she pressed the button to the "Batcave".

Clover raced down the stairs and found where the weapons where. She grabbed the crossbow, and with a second thought, something for Spike. She ran up the stairs to the office, down some more stairs and throughout the quad. When she got to the car, Spike was waiting outside. She tossed him a knuckle brass.

Spike looked down at it and gave the vampire slayer a wink. "Maybe someday I'll use this on you," he stated.

The girl gave him a look as she through her five arrows and crossbow in the back-seat. "Let's go," she answered as they got into the car. All the time each one wondering why they were trusting the other.

*

Alicia and Dustin sat in the hospital. After Clover had left, Alicia had told Dustin about Spike which had made him worry even more. A doctor had come by earlier and told them Cordelia was still unconscious and that she might not make it through the night. Which made the evening even worse.

It had started like most of Dustin's night these days. He and Alicia had gotten together to research Kelmarc or Chris Barron, Clover's missing Watcher and the mating. Then Clover had called. Dustin remembered that she had looked so nice, but she was trying hard not to cry. They had both rushed over. The Watcher looked over at the clock again. He held Alicia Price's hand tighter.

*

Spike and Clover drove around SunnyDale; they had only three hours till sunrise, and neither one knew where to find Groo. Spike sniffed the air. He looked over at Clover and sniffed again.

"You have garlic on your neck," he commented as he turned his eyes back to the road. "You shouldn't wear it. I'm not going to try to bite you. Besides, it covers up your natural smell."

"And what's that?" Clover retorted.

Spike smiled as if remembering a far off memory. "Roses," his answer was simple and yet Clover couldn't help but think he was flirting with her a little.

The Slayer was about to answer with a smart remark, when suddenly she felt a tingle all over her body. Groo was close by.

Spike looked at his surroundings as he stopped the car. They were across the street from a graveyard. He watched as Clover ran out of the car toward a crypt. He knew that crypt. It led to the Master's old lair. The British vampire got out of the car and caught up with Clover.

Inside the crypt it was dark. So dark the strange team could barely see anything. So, Spike took out his lighter and popped it open. It casted an errie glow around them. There directly across from them was an iron door. Clover tried to open it, but it , like the office door, was locked. At this rate, Clover would have to face Groo without Spike's help. And if he had friends with him? Clover shivered to think about this. She knew her weaknesses. She couldn't handle more than four vampires and her father's presence at a time, and if there were demons? She could only take on one powerful one at a time and two not so powerful.

She looked over at Spike. ' Why is he helping me?' she thought to herself not for the first time since they had met, and he had saved her from the demon looking for a knife. Outloud she asked, "Is there a key or something you vampires only know about?"

Spike shook his head slightly. "Break it down," he told her matter-of-factly.

Clover did as she was told. She kicked the door open and walked carefully with all her senses on full blast. Spike walked in after her. As soon as he got in, his lighter flickered off.

"If we walk east toward the school, we can find them. That's where most go down here," Spike's voice was barely a whisper. He crept closer to her as they headed that way.

Clover moved away from him awkwardly. "How do you know?" she asked again in a whisper. Then, as an after thought, "Spike, this may be stupid, but are you scared?"

Spike noticed as the Chosen One moved away from him. He didn't know why, but he had a strange feeling he hadn't felt in almost three hundred years. He was sad about her not trusting him. When Drusilla had left him twenty-one years ago because he had teamed up with Buffy to defeat Angel, he had been sad but more angry. Now he was just sad. The vampire let out a scoff. "Me, scared? Please! I can handle a little sixteen year old vampire. Don't worry." He didn't even notice as he put his hand in hers.

Clover felt his hand inches from her. "Spike, are you becoming soul-having on me?" she laughed a little. It had been a joke, but she looked back at Spike. She saw his eyes glowing yellow. The Slayer held tighter to her crossbow and let go of his hand.

"Me?" Spike asked with a laugh. "Do an Angel? Never!"

Clover sucked her breath in. In front of them, was a dozen shadowy figures with glowing eyes. Groo stepped out in front of them and smiled at his daughter.

"I knew you would come," he said simply.

"What can I say," Clover shot back, "I never could miss a party." She gestured to Spike as she held up the crossbow, "Hope you don't mind, I invited friends."

*

A doctor and nurse approached Dustin and Alicia. The Watcher and horror writer stood up as if on cue.

The doctor spoke to his nurse first. "Mark the time and date as," he stopped and looked at his wristwatch, "4 :00 a.m., Sunday the 21st of March 2019." The nurse nodded and walked away, and he turned to Dustin and Alicia. "I had hoped Ms. Chase's daughter would be here. Ms. Chase has woken up and is asking for her."

Dustin and Alicia both let out large sighs. "Thank God," Dustin said at the same time Alicia said, "She's gone home to rest. May we see her?"

The doctor gave the two a suspicious look. "I'm afraid only family is allowed in. And how are you two related to Ms. Chase?"

Alicia thought fast hoping Cordelia wouldn't question it if asked. " I'm her younger sister, Clover's aunt, and this is my husband, Dustin." The lie was a good one. And why not? Alicia was a writer.

The doctor smiled at them. "Yes, well, if you will follow me please."

*

Clover raised the crossbow and took aim at one of the vampires behind Groo. Direct it, and it exploded into dust. Its last scream echoed through the tunnels over the dripping of water.

Clover looked smugly at Groo, but her joy was short lived. Another half dozen vampires blocked the way they had come.

"Christ," Spike muttered under his breath. There was no telling how many more vampires were hidden in these tunnels. They had no other choice, they ran.

*

Dustin Rogers and Alicia Price walked into Cordelia Chase's room. She turned toward them. She looked small, weak, and older. Tubes where in her nose ,and she was hooked up to an iv unit. The both smiled at her, but their real feelings showed plainly on their faces. Alicia took the seat next to Cordelia's bed and Dustin stood behind her.

Dustin cleared his throat and said softly. "Clover's not here. She has gone to kill Groo."

Dustin stopped when he saw Cordelia's face. "Listen to me Cordelia, Groo is a vampire now. Your Groo is dead."