"Thanks, Will," Buffy said as Willow handed her a cup of coffee. After making a frantic call to Willow and Giles after her discovery, and Giles own inquiries into Michaela's whereabouts brought a similar end; Buffy and Riley had headed over to their house to see that would do next. Both of the children were missing, and no one was in a good mood. Willow had even suggested sending Spike out to look into his old circles to see if anyone knew what had happened to Mike and Neil. Spike hadn't checked in yet, so all the parent's could do was sit around a wait for the next move.
"How are you holding up," Willow asked softly. Buffy shrugged her shoulders.
"The holding pattern is fine, but I'm ready to go out and kick whoever took the kid's ass, and if they dare touch my son, they are dead, Will. No questions asked." Willow nodded.
"I know what you mean. Rupert would have staked Spike when he told him he had found Mike's car if he hadn't done it over the phone. It took me half an hour to calm him down, not to mention my own frazzled nerves." Buffy put a sympathetic hand on Willow's shoulder.
"I know. You want so badly to know they're safe, but we can't know that until we find them."
"We said such horrible things to her last night, Buffy. She was so angry, and now she could be dead. I just can't think about that now. All I want to do is apologize and let my daughter know everything is okay." Willow was nearing tears as she said this, and Buffy hugged her even harder.
"I know what you mean," the former Slayer whispered. They gave each other some friendly comfort as Giles Riley walked into the room from the kitchen.
"Spike's on his way," Riley announced as he sat down on the other side of Buffy and Giles took a seat next to Willow.
"Does he have any information?" Willow asked hopefully. Giles nodded.
"There's some rumors he looked into, and he thinks he's turned up a lead, but he has to check it out first, then he'll come here," Giles explained.
"Did he say what he found," Buffy inquired. Giles gave Riley a questioning look, then the former soldier nodded.
"There's been talk about Drusilla returning. Spike thinks she was spotted last night. Not far from your home," Giles reported with a grim air. "He thinks she may have went to the old mansion to hide."
"Oh, God," Buffy whispered. "If Dru took them, there's not telling what she could do." Riley nodded his understanding, but he still looked a little puzzled.
"Now tell me again why I should be worried about this Drusilla," he asked. "I remember something about dating Spike, which is bad enough, but not much else." Giles chose to field that question.
"She was sired by Angelus," Giles explained. "Before he turned her, the bastard decided it would be fun to torture her and drive her insane. He succeeded, all too well. Spike came along some time later and fell madly in love with her. Then they broke up over Spike helping Buffy stop Angelus from raising Acathla, and she hasn't been seen since." Riley nodded. This didn't look good.
"And Spike thinks she's the one who took the kids," Riley finished. "God, does it ever stop," he muttered. Giles shook his head.
"Not yet," he answered dryly. "The Hellmouth is as active as ever, and we seem to be it's favorite targets," he added.
"Makes you really appreciate prophesy," Willow murmured. "It would have helped if we could have seen this coming."
"There's nothing you could have done to stop this, Willow," Buffy reminded her. "If Dru wanted our kids, she would have found some other way to get to them."
"Buffy's correct, love," Giles told his wife. "Drusilla may be insane, but she's quite cunning. She would have found some other way to play her twisted games."
"At least we could have forced her to take the game to us. This never involved our children, Rupert. That's the part that pisses me off." the redhead explained.
"I feel the same way my dear, but there's nothing we can do to change that."
"Giles is right," Riley offered. "All we can do is find the kids and make sure this Dru pays for hurting them. And believe me when I say she will pay," he added grimly. "No one touches my son. Period." Giles and Buffy nodded. As they chatted on, they were interrupted by the sound of the front door opening. Spike rushed in with a jacket draped over his head to protect him and closed the door behind him. Willow and Buffy quickly got up and pulled the curtains to keep the sun out of the room. As soon as it was clear, Spike took the jacket and dusted it off, then put it back on.
"Well, the old pipeline is still working, I'm sorry to say. Dru's got about ten lackeys around the house, and I'd venture that she's put Mike and Neil in the cellar," the blond vamp reported.
"How do you know its Dru?" Buffy ventured. Spike gave her a pointed look.
"I saw her," he answered simply. "The bint was in the dining room have one of her bloody tea parties."
"And no one saw you," Riley asked skeptically. Spike audibly sighed.
"Bloody hell… you don't live in a lair and not know a few hiding places, soldier boy. It may have been awhile, but I'm not that much of a dunce. I can find my way around the sodding mansion if I want to."
"Well, you're going to," Buffy interjected. "I want you to get us in and to Mike and Neil. Riley, you, and me can keep Dru and her boys busy while Will and Giles get the kids. Then we get the hell out of there. Any questions?" Buffy was in full take charge mode and no one was willing to contradict her. The all shook their heads.
"We'll need weapons," Giles reminded her and Buffy gave a nod.
"Giles, you're on weapons duty. Spike, I want you to explain to me how we get in. I don't' want any mistakes, got it?"
"Yes, I got it." the vamp said. The others nodded.
"We should wait for sundown," Riley said offhandedly. "It should be easier to get in," he decided.
"Any advice on how to sneak into a vamp nest, Mr. 'I got the A in cover ops'?" Willow asked weakly.
"Well, for starters, I wouldn't wear that," he quipped as he pointed to Willow's bright blue top. The comment seemed to break some of the tension in the room, and they all seemed to visibly relax.
"Very funny," Willow said.
"I happen to like that blouse," Giles commented wryly, giving his wife a knowing look. Willow gave him a grin as their eyes met.
"Later, Rupert." the hacker smiled.
"Of course, love. Now I have to retrieve Buffy's favorite battle axe and that crossbow I made for you, plus some stakes and holy water for good measure." Willow gave a small laugh.
"I love it when you talk like that," she joked as they waked off into another part of the house together.
"Do they ever stop," Riley asked as he watched them leave.
"Not yet," Buffy replied with a wicked grin. "And some day I'll ask Will what her secret is," she added. Riley raised his eyebrow.
"Just let me know when you do, okay, honey?"
"Me?" Buffy answered with mock innocence. "Would I do that to you?"
"In a heart beat, Slayer." Spike murmured under his breath. "Can we start with the breaking and entering already? Dru won't wait forever. Mike and Neil may be safe now, but not for long," he reminded them.
"The let's get started." Buffy told him.
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