Next Night, 2 Days Before She Rises

He sat back, watching the girls dancing, vibrating to the music that seemed like screeches of torment to his ears, him enjoying the night, his thoughts never falling far from his Red. Only two more nights before she was with him, two more nights that he had to stay hidden from the slayer and her pets. He had checked on them before dawn, they were mourning the hacker-witch, and that would probably keep them too busy to look for him. He scanned the room, a small smile on his face when he saw something, a shirt, one tight and black with red specks and perfect for his Red. With that in mind he moved through the crowd to where the girl was, moving suggestively against anyone who came up to her. She smiled at Spike before grinding against him, her back to him.

He ran his hands over her sides and breasts, and could almost laugh, it was almost too easy to be fun, but then, that was shopping for you, and for his Red, only the best would do. He didn't know when he chose Willow to become his own. After sobering up and the long drive he had given a lot of thought to Dru and his entire history with her. And slowly, along the way, his thoughts had shifted from his dark princess to the fiery sprite who had intrigued him to say the least. The more he thought about her, her fire, her innocence, her potential, the more he wanted her, not only for her, but also, as revenge, to the Slayer and to Angel, who had stolen so much from him. It was perfect, like killing two birds with one stone, or one long jagged knife that would cause the birds to scream like men on their knees, begging for a life already lost, already gone.

He leaned into the woman, whispering into her ear, wanting to leave with her, sneering with joy when she shivered from the warm breath that washed against her skin. He snickered when she grabbed his duster, pulling him out of the Bronze, to a car parked nearby. With a raised eyebrow at the classic car, he pushed her against it with a kiss that left her gasping for breath before his hands reached and untied the shirt.

She laughed when he started to take it off of her, moving to open the door. "Anxious much?"

He growled, snapping her neck, sighing when the shirt snagged on her oversized earring. With another growl he yanked the loop from her earlobe. "Bloody maniquins."

The three youths sat in the library, looking at the table, the clock on the wall the only source of noise.

After a long moment, Xander sighed. "So, how long do you think they'll be gone?"

Buffy shrugged, her face blank. Giles and Angel had said that they would patrol for her, at least until the funeral, planned for the next afternoon. "I dunno, not too long, for a quick sweep." She shifted uncomfortably when she thought of something, meeting Xander's eye. "Does Cordy know?"

Xander swallowed hard before nodding, his gaze focused on the white lines of his clenched fist. "Yeah, I told her today. She didn't want to see me when I was there, going on about how I was looking like shit without her in my life. She wouldn't look at me. When I told her, she cried, very un-Cordy. She called in a nurse, and bitched at them that she was leaving in time for the funeral." He let out a small laugh. "They're letting her out three days early."

Buffy nodded with a numb smile. "That's good, that she knows, Willow would have liked that." Her eyes started to well. "Did you know that she liked Cordy, Willow did, she liked everybody." Her forehead crinkled slightly as a tear fell. "Even Spike, for some reason." She jumped up when the library doors opened and Giles and Angel walked in, both dirt covered and branishing weapons. Her heart skipped a beat as she ran to them, releaved that they were alright. "What happened?"

Giles cleared his throat and looked away. "I fell in a grave."

Buffy gave him a sympathetic smile, wiping some of the dirt off his shoulder. "Well, I'm sure that the grave won't hurt anybody else." Shrugging she looked to Angel, snuggling close to him when he put his arm around her. "Any demons?"

Angel shook his head. "Only a fledgling." He cocked an eyebrow. "I've never seen a midget vampire before. I think even Xander could have taken him on."

Xander tried to smile, following the attempts of everyone else in trying to lighten the mood that still clung to them. "I'd have whooped his ass. You know who I want to see a vampire? Harmony. I bet a bat would whoop her."

Oz rolled his eyes. "Dirt would be enough." He clenched his jaw. "No word on who did this to Willow?"

Angel shook his head. "No, whoever it was, was working alone. Probably thought she'd be an easy meal." He swallowed when the youths all looked at him with empty angry gazes. "Sorry. I didn't mean it like that. Tact kind of gets lost after a hundred or so years."

Buffy gave him an understanding squeeze. "We understand. We know that you liked Willow too."

Giles looked down, taking off his glasses, swallowing an unsteady gulp, trying to calm himself at the uncomfort that again clung in the air. "She was the best of us all." He said before studying them. "Well, we better be getting home, its late and tomorrow is a busy day."

Buffy nodded. "Yeah, mom probably wigging, she's extra protective now that… well Willow hit her pretty hard." She wiped tears away before looking to Angel. "Walk me home?"

He nodded. "Sure." He looked to Giles, "I'll see you tomorrow night." As they moved to the door he inhaled deeply. "I wish I could be with you tomorrow at the funeral."

"I know, but I don't need a shis-ka-angel." She hugged him tightly, glad that he was with her. "I like you alive, well sort of, and not flaming. I'll come and see you afterwards."

He kissed the top of her head. "It will be okay."

She smiled sadly, "I hope you're right."

Back in the library, Xander looked at Oz. "Hey, how are you holding up?"

The musician shrugged. "Okay I guess. Tomorrow will be tough."

Xander looked confused. "Why?" He suddenly realized. "I mean, right, funeral, boyfriend. Of course. Bad Xander."

Giles shot the youth a look. "Xander, tomorrow is the night before the full moon, Oz will be locked up. Someone will need to stay with him."

Oz looked away. "Maybe I should find a cage someplace off campus, I mean I don't…"

Xander cut him off. "We're your friends." Oz shot him a look and guilt suddenly washed over Xander. "And, okay, maybe Will and I did some stupid things but now isn't the time to let that split us apart even more. She wouldn't want that. She wouldn't." He sat down tears again forming. "I thought for sure she'd be the one who'd make it. Out of all of us, she'd conquor the Hellmouth. She's changed to survive it, but it hasn't changed her…"

TBC