Disclaimer: There's no use, I don't own them and never will

--

Willow frowned, glancing to Giles. "Did you hear the doorbell?" She asked.

"Hm, no." He said, examining the large black tome in front of him. He glanced at the witch, his own frown mirroring hers. "I've got two more texts confirming it. How about you?" He asked.

"Nope." She shook her head. "We're holding at one spell and two books over here. Grand total?"

"Er, yes." Said Giles. He sighed. "Seven books so far, as well as your spell. One of them is a little specific. It speaks of a rebellion, and the return of the, er, Traitor."

Willow glanced down at the black book, biting her lower lip. "Well, that helps a whole bunch of nothing. Traitor? What's that mean? Can we cross- reference it?"

"That's how I found this last entry." Said Giles. "The Traitor, and his escape. No mention of breaching the barriers of hell here. Just some babbling on about the escape, and walking."

Willow stood up and began pacing. "We can cross-reference escape and walking." She said dubiously. "Walking? How do you just walk out of hell?"

"Hello?" Said a muffled voice from down the hall, and Willow jumped.

"I did hear the doorbell!" She said, her tone accusing, and she whirled and ran out the door, the long skirt she was wearing slowing her down. "Buffy!" She yelled, spotting her friend climbing the stairs.

"Hi." Said Buffy somberly. "You rang?"

"No, you did!" Said Willow.

Giles followed behind Willow with an armload of books. "Buffy, some of this is just incredible."

"He means cryptic, not incredible." Said Willow, frustrated. "I mean, couldn't these people just say, a demon broke out of hell? Instead it's all, the Traitor escaped, he walked through the clouds, blah blah blah!"

Buffy smiled. "It's good to see you too, Will." She said.

"Oh." Said Willow, smiling. "Hug?"

They shared a hug while Giles frowned. "Er, Buffy, we have an approximate location for the demon that broke out of hell." Said Giles.

"Right, business already." Said Buffy, sighing. "Rome was fine, thanks. Where are all the other Slayers?"

"Big emergency in Africa." Said Willow. "Demon ascension. Big, big, very bad. That's why we picked up the red phone."

Buffy smiled. "Okay, a demon broke out of hell. It's called the Traitor, and you know where it is. Fine. Where's Xander?"

Willow and Giles shared a long glance. "He's, um, probably down at that bar. What's the name of that bar?" Asked Giles.

"The Black Rose, I think." Said Willow, frowning. "Um, yeah."

Buffy nodded. "He hangs out there a lot?" She asked. "What kind of bar?"

Willow and Giles exchanged another glance. "Demon bar." Said Giles shortly.

Buffy frowned. "Xander's hanging out in a demon bar? What aren't you telling me."

"W-well," stuttered Willow, "it really started after you left, when he went back to Sunnydale—or, the crater that was Sunnydale—to mourn."

"He came back with Spike's duster." Said Giles shortly.

"Spike's duster?" Said Buffy, frowning. "He found it? And cared enough to carry it back?"

"Er, no." Said Giles. "He wasn't carrying it, he was wearing it."

Buffy's frown died, replaced by a blank look. "Xander is wearing Spike's coat?"

"Constantly, now." Said Giles. Willow nodded.

"We were working on that when the Coven called up and told us about this demon that broke through the dimensional barriers." Said Willow. "So, uh, we're a little sidetracked. How's Dawn?"

"Fine." Sighed Buffy. "She flew down to LA to pick up those books from Angel—why are we trusting him, again?"

"Because he has access to books I can't get my hands on." Said Giles. "Even if he is now affiliated with one of the largest evil organizations on earth, we simply need to know more about this Traitor and the dimensional portal. If he's created a new opening to hell—worse, if other demons can follow him through—then we're in serious trouble."

Buffy nodded. "Where is he?" She asked.

"About a hundred miles from here, and closing fast." Said Willow.

"He's coming here?" Asked Buffy, surprised. "And why are we calling him a he, when we don't know that at all? It could be a she."

"I don't think evil is an equal opportunity employer." Said Willow. "When was the last time a Big Bad was a she?"

Buffy thought about that for a second. "How evil." She muttered.

"Er, we've contacted Riley's special forces. He offered us a helicopter to get us to this demon as quickly as possible." Offered Giles.

"Okay, deal with freaky Xander after impending apocalypse. Check. On the to- do list." Said Buffy. "Okay, and Andrew?" There was a dead silence all around. Giles and Willow exchanged a glance. "People, that is not a TRUST- inspiring glance, believe me." Said Buffy ominously.

"He, ah, is, um. . ." Giles was unable to finish the sentence.

"He's locked himself in the garage with a gun." Said Willow. "He won't come out; he's been in there fourteen hours."

"Who puts a bathroom in the garage, anyway?" Asked Giles.

"People who believe in locking themselves there, I guess." Said Willow.

"There's a bathroom in the garage, and Andrew locked himself there with a gun? And this was not priority one when I got in?!" Demanded Buffy. "Wait. Demon, end of world. Got it. Priorities. Why is Andrew there?"

"I'm afraid it's Xander's fault." Said Willow sorrowfully. "He told Andrew he was going to come home and tear his head off. Because he was a little drunk. And Andrew thinks he meant it."

"Oh!" Said Buffy. "Then he's not trying to kill himself."

Willow and Giles gave her long, startled looks. "Of course not." Said Giles.

"Do you think if there were a suicidal guy in the garage with a gun we would stay up all night studying?" Asked Willow earnestly. "Buffy!"

"Yeah, yeah." Said Buffy, embarrassed. "Apocalypse!"

"It's daylight." Said Giles. "The Traitor will be sleeping, if he's following standard demonic nocturnal patterns."

"Translation: demon asleep." Said Buffy. "Call Riley, have him send the helicopter."

--

"Why was I in hell? I think I was a good person, and I died saving the world, and especially Andrew!"

"Evil demons go to hell, pet."

"Ooh. Being a vampire is like constantly PMSing. What's so special about Buffy that made you turn good for her?"

"Nothing." Replied Spike sullenly.

"Don't you ever just think about yourself? Just wonder about things?"

"No."

"Denial king is my partner in unlife. Great. That is so male, just sitting there and letting the world around you go to pieces."

"You're having trouble to the whole sleeping the day away thing, aren't you?"

"Yes! I can't help it, I'm diurnal by nature."

"Good."

...

"Spike?"

"Yeah?"

"How do you think William got to where he was?"

"What?"

"To help us out of hell. How did William get there?"

"I dunno."

"Geez!"

...

"I'm a good person, you know."

"I know."

"I didn't like hell."

"Course not. You were human for a while, remember?"

"I was human when I died. Why'd I go to hell?"

"You agreed to become a demon, pet. Even if he turned you back, D'Hoffey's deal dragged all of your humanity out. Your soul was tattered and torn by an expert before he gave it back to you."

...

"Why are you always so insightful about everyone else, and so blind and stupid when it comes to yourself?"

"Seein out is easy. Seein in is hard. Let me sleep or I'll kill you."

...