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Birthday Girl "Unfinished Business"

Buffy stalked out of the elevator with fire in her eyes, Whistler trailing behind her. Ferocity surging, coursing through her veins, she walked the entire distance from the post office to the Wolfram and Hart building, never stopping to converse with the half demon who was trying to reason with her.

As she approached the doors to Angel's office, Hamilton, the current liaison to the Senior Partners, appeared in front of her, obviously thinking he could halt her in her tracks.

"You want to get out of my way?" she growled.

"I'm sorry, Miss Summers, but Angel is quite busy," he stated icily as an evil smirk appeared across his smug face. "Maybe if you were to come back at a later time..."

"If you don't remove yourself from in front of that door, I will take that smirk and stick where the sun does not shine," she replied curtly. The gentleman nodded unapprovingly and stepped aside as she bolted through the double wooden doors, slamming them behind her.

Spike entered the training center to find Illyria waiting for him. She held up her hand, beckoning him towards her.

"I know what you're up to, Bluebird, and it's not gonna work," he said with a hint of contempt in his voice.

"And what is that, half-breed?"

"I see through you. You leave the girl alone."

"I have no idea what it is you are talking about," she answered. She began to circle him like a hawk, but catching on, learning, he began to follow her.

"The way you looked at her. You just put those thoughts out of that smurf- streaked head of yours," he stated, his patience wearing thin. "You stay away from her."

"This girl, she means a great deal to you," she replied, "like Fred."

"No," he said as he curled his lip in anger. "she's not like Fred."

Illyria cocked an eyebrow at the vampire. Like him, she was adapting, learning. She looked deep into his eyes and found what it was she was looking for.

"No, she isn't," she said with a grin. Her voice contorted then. "She's precious," she added... in Glory's voice.

Angel looked up from his paperwork to see Buffy angrily approach his desk. Her breath was heavy and she didn't blink as she stalked towards his desk.

"What is it? What's wrong?" he asked gently as she glared at him with disgust.

"Why don't you tell me?" she replied as she tossed him the glittering red jewel. He looked the bauble over and ran it under his rough fingers. "Tell me my fortune," she added angrily, yet softly.

He remembered those words. When the Master rose, she threatened to quit being the Slayer. She had thrown books at Giles in a furious tantrum and stated that she didn't want to die. But now she was older, an adult. He knew there was a purpose to this outbreak. He held the jewel up to the light and it began to glow, feeding him images, familiar images.

"Where did you get this?" he asked cautiously. She paused for a moment, then answered.

"Cordelia."

"You get that voice outta your mouth, missy, or I'll rip it out," Spike spat as he and Illyria continued to waltz around the training room. "You stay away from the girl," he added slowly so she could understand him.

"I've gained the information I needed from her. She is of no use to me," she replied. As they continued to round on each other, Harmony entered guardedly.

"Um, Spike?" she began. "I think you better go to Angel's office."

"What now?" he asked, never taking his eyes off the ancient demon still rounding on him.

"Buffy's here," Harmony answered timidly.

"What gives you the right?!" Buffy spat as she slammed her hands against Angel's desk.

"I did what I had to in order to protect you," he answered calmly.

"Protect me? Is that what you're doing? Tell me when I have EVER needed you to protect me!"

Angel found himself without a voice. He could think of all the times she had protected him, but a moment when she needed him to look out for her, he was flummoxed.

"That's what I thought," she said softly as she turned towards the doors.

"What do you mean, Cordelia gave it to you?" he asked coolly.

"Whistler. He took me to see the Oracles."

"The Oracles are dead," Angel replied, quite confused.

"Looks like they've been replaced."

"And they just conveniently gave you a memory, mind you a memory that you were not supposed to have, and you thought you'd stroll in here and throw it in my face?!"

"Did you think that I'd never find out?" she cried defensively. "What makes you think that you could just decide my life's path for me?"

Angel couldn't find words. She was right. He knew that she was right, and he hated that it always hurt her. He hated to see her so angry. It made her seem older and younger at the same time.

Buffy regained some composure and swiped the tears from her cheeks with her fingertips. She looked around at the grandness of the office, which she hadn't gotten a chance to admire before.

"I'm leaving tomorrow. I was planning on coming here civilly, but things happened."

"Things always happen," Angel reassured her gently.

She let out a sigh and remembered the main reason she had come here.

"I had this dream... a few nights ago. It got me thinking, then I looked into it further." Angel listened intently as a figure appeared in the door behind her. "When were you going to tell me about Spike?" she asked as the figure came closer and closer to her.

"When I was ready for you to know I was here," Spike answered as she turned around to face him, tears forming in the corners of her eyes.