Disclaimer: same as always…
Authors note: I know I said that Tara was a Scooby, but haven't said a thing about her yet…oops. Lets just say Tara is a witch-on-reserve for the Scoobies. I honestly forgot about the shy witch. I also caught my mistake when I called the girl Dru's first Childe. I meant in almost 200 years…another oops.
Authors note: terribly sorry for the delay my good people. I couldn't decide where to stop this chapter. Not only that, but school started up again, I'm working on vier, oops, four other stories…
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"She just turned a girl…" Spike and Angel's statement stopped everyone in their tracks. "She's pretty powerful. And utterly devoted to her 'mum'." Almost everyone's mouths dropped open. Buffy blew.
"If she wants to turn Dawn, why turn another girl? It makes no sense. One Childe absorbs a vampire until they are fully trained. But to try two? It might be possible for older Vampires to do so, and no offense Angel, Spike, but Dru is completely crazy. Angel you've said yourself that Dru was unable to really sire Spike, why would she try for two now?"
"Buffy, think about what you just said. Crazy Vampire. She doesn't need a reason to try and sire two Childer at once." Celia but in. "And she does have lucid moments. She was talking to her lover while I was in between awake and knocked out. Her plan, what I could hear of it, was extremely sane, even though not very well thought out. With little or no problem we should be able to stop her this time. We just need to scare her lover away, and still not underestimate her or her new childe."
"She is supposed to be prophet-girl right?" Xander asked. Wes, who had been staring at the boy with an odd expression on his face answered.
"Yes. She is a seer. A gypsy. Why?"
"Then how can she not know that Dawn can't be turned?" Everyone looked a little shocked, and Wes smiled at Xander.
"Good question. What is she up to?" Angel said like he was thinking to himself. Giles, who was holding Willow, still in his lap, spoke up.
"How devious have you two know Drusilla to be? Angel, Spike." The two older vampire's looked at the Watcher.
"Why?" spike wanted to know.
"It just sounds like something I, I mean Ripper, used to do, as a decoy. I used the same motive, but let a simple and destined to fail plan out to my enemy, getting them to underestimate me, keeping my actual plan under wraps. Everything we know about Drusilla leads us to think she is completely insane. No insane person could come up even with bait and switch trap. Her not knowing that Dawn can't be turned contradicts the face that she is a prophet. She is a vampire, leading us to know that she would know the difference between an unconscious victim, half awake, or fully awake. Its almost to carefully planed." Angel looked guilty.
"Um…that…that would be something I taught her. She never really took to it well but…" Cordelia looked at her boyfriend and scrowled.
"Oh no you didn't." everyone looked up, 'Huh?' clearly written across their features. "Angelus did that. And you…are…not…him. How many times do I have to tell you that?" Cordi's eyes were flashing and everyone was a tad surprised (except for the LA crew, that is) that the ex-cheerleader would talk to a vampire that way. But then again, she was Cordelia.
"Honey, I know, but…" Angel tried to interrupt.
"But nothing! You … Are … Not … Angelus! You did not drive a woman insane then kill her, you did not do those things to us, you did not kill those people. The demon inside you did. So don't even mister." Angel pulled Cordi in to his arms and kissed her, smiling.
"Thank you, My Love." Angel smiled, and everyone softened a bit at the display of affection.
"Affection. That's it!" Willow said excitedly. "That's the key!" Giles looked at her.
"Key to what Luv?"
"Evil!" At this everyone looked at Willow like she had suddenly turned into Tiamat, the 7-headed dragon-queen of evil. "No! Think about it. Demons want to open the hellmouth why? Because they hate humankind and/or this world. That's a kind of affection, just opposite of what we normally think of it as. Most Vampires work on hate, or love of hunting, after they are old enough to do anything other than take orders and eat, that is. Angel. Why did Angelus want to kill us all?"
"Because he hated that I care for all of you, and the fact that my love for Buffy affected him as well."
"More affection. Drusilla wants the two main men in her live back, because she loves Angelus and Spike, in a perverse way, but still!"
"Wills, you have a point. Affection is, in one form or another, almost always the motivation behind human actions. Why wouldn't it be the same for Demons?" Xander smiled at his best friend. No-one noticed the dark look that flashed over Wes' face, not even Wes himself. Buffy smelt a flash of jealousy, but couldn't identify it. She decided to ask Spike about it later.
"No. None of it fits." Spike said this. "I know her. She is quite capable of it, don't get me wrong, but it just doesn't fit."
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"My Spikey is right, Violet. I don't want him or Angel back. Not that I could get them back. But my first Childe will not figure me out. Will he my sweet?" Drusilla said behind her new Childe on their bed, brushing her soft, blond hair.
"No Mum. Naughty big brother is to far away from us. They will be on their guard Mum. Is that the way we want them?" Drusillia kissed the young vampire on the neck.
"Yesss, My little one. If they are not on alert, then they will lose, and so will we precious. Humm, how to get that younger watcher and the demon's ex-lover together long enough. Oh…. I know!
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Giles had made dinner for the alive guests. The three vampires had decided to take turns hunting, leaving 2 of them with the group at all times. Buffy was the last to hunt, and when she returned home, dinner was done and the dishes we half there.
"Alright. From this point on, no-one leaves this house without weapons and a partner. Dawn doesn't leave with out me, Spike, Angel, or Cordelia, as well as someone else. Not that I don't trust the rest of you, but the four of us do have the advantage. Demons an all… I would rather you pair up now, with someone you won't mind spending a lot of time with. Just so we know your with someone if something happens… I don't…actually none of us trust Drusillia. Willow? could you take us off the rolls for this semester before they get to the teachers? Giles, I need you and Cordelia to take Dawn to school in the morning and set it up so she can be home schooled. I'm sure we are well equipped to teach you, Dawn. I hope this is okay with you?"
"Yeah Buffy. Just as long as that no one alone rule applies to you to."
"Of course it does. Now, lets see…" Buffy faked serious thought, looking around the room, "Who do I pick…" She purposely skipped her gaze over both Spike and her sister. Willow? no, your likely to pair up with Giles. Fred? Nope there is that whole sexy Gunn thing going on." Spike growled at that. "Cordi? Nah. You'd be with Angel. Celia? Oh, wait, your already with me… Xan…nah we'll stick you and Wes together…" Wes brightened a little at this. Buffy finally ended on her charade and gazed at Spike and Dawn in turn. Both looked rather apprehensive and bordering on aggravated. Spike also sported an amused expression, while Dawn's was more agonized. "Oh! I know! Since Celia is with me, we'll pair up Spike and Dawn. We can obviously stick more than one team together, but that is the people you don't let out of your site. If you don't like, say now…" No one objected to Buffy's little game, and she beamed a smile at them all.
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Review Review Review!!! I thank all of you who have already, and again apoligize for waiting to long to put this chapter out. I honesty have no idea when Ch. 6 will be out, nor how long this whole story will me…I'm riding on the good graces of my muses' amusement. "joy joy joy to the…go the hell away!" Lady Dragoness ficadragoness@yahoo.com
