Chapter 3: Pure

Drusilla crouched in the corner of her cage, it had been many hours since the shining ones had come and gone. They had voices that hurt her head and lights that burned her eyes, but she hadn't let them know that, Drusilla was proud of herself for this. The thin vampiress's mind wandered in its strange excuse for reasoning. Maybe they would burn her all away, like her William. Then she could be quiet. "Quiet as a mouse." She whispered to the darkness of her cell. Feet scratched against the earth of the cellar, the pale beam of flashlight pierced the darkness and settled on the vampiress's wan face. Drusilla blinked against the light, slowly discerning the small golden form of her longtime enemy. "You have come."she whispered.

Buffy sighed and set the flashlight on the low table in the corner. "Yes I've come." Walking towards the cave she sat down indian style on the cold ground, a safe distance from the bars.

"Want to ask me something do you." Drusilla stated. "The kitty doesn't trust her kennel does she, they want to give her a cord and collar. Pretty kitty, give you a pat?"

Buffy bit back a groan. Why had she come down here? Oh, right. Because she'd told Willow she needed more information. That's why she had snuck out of her room in the dark, risked a possible alliance with the Watchers, andgiven herself a definite bruise creepingpast a sleeping Avery, for information. Because even now, Drusilla's rambling made some sort of odd sense, and, she admitted to herself, out of an obscure sense of guilt.

Oh screw the Watchers. Buffy muttered to herself. I don't like them anyway.

Leaning slightly forward she pinned the captive with a serious gaze. "How much have you told them Drusilla?"

The vampiress averted her eyes. "Didn't want to you know, didn't want spill, but they bring me blood. Alive and kicking. The screams fill my head. I didn't mean to tell them things but the drinking frees my tongue like fire."

"Alive and kicking?" Buffy's stomach turned with disgust. "They bring you humans. Live humans?"

"Lonely ones. Homeless ones. Those who will not be missed. They dig them pretty holes to rest in, why won't they dig one for me?"

"Those bastards." Buffy swore, now more than ever she knew the council couldn't be trusted. She surveyed the woman before her. Drusilla looked less mad than earlier, less demonic. In fact she looked small and frail, and very vulnerable, with wide haunted eyes. Buffy could almost see why Spike had been so devoted to her. She would do this for him, it was the very least of a last favor.

"Do you have anything else to tell me Drusilla?" She asked, wanting to make sure, and somehow knowing that the answer she got would be true.

"No. It's gone quiet. The Old One will tell you, crouching in your head, her bits and pieces will come. She's nicer than they are, waiting quiet a little at a time. You won't have the racket that my guests always make."

Buffy took a deep breath and pushed herself up to her feet, pulling a stake from the back pocket of her jeans, she raised it so that the vampire could see.

"I can't let you go Drusilla. I think you understand why, but I'm here to make it quick. Spike wouldn't want you to live like this, I guess I don't either. So I'll make it fast."

The vampire approached the bars, a twisted child's smile on her lips. "Will it hurt?" She asked eagerly.

"Yes."

The Drusilla sighed "I don't want it hurt. Not anymore. So tired. I cannot dig myself a hole, I haven't any nice things to play with. No one wants to play with me anymore."

Buffy sighed again. "If you'll just come here, Drusilla, it will all be over soon."

Drusilla shook her head. "I don't want to, not down here. I want the stars to be with me when I die."

Buffy shifted nervously, take her outside? She couldn't possibly. "It...might be raining Drusilla."She offered lamely.

Her intended victim tilted her head towards the ceiling. "Its not. It's a beautiful night, fit for ball. The frost is gilding the grass like tears and my hill looks like fairyland. I'll be oh so good, please, I want to be under the stars."

Buffy stared at the strange frail creature: Kendra's murderer, Angel's victim, Spikes' love. "Yes Drusilla." She sighed. "We'll go see the stars."

"I think you'll bloody not!" An officious voice snapped from behind. Buffy whipped around to find Avery behind her, a rifle pointed at her chest and an outraged glare on his face.

"You call yourself a Slayer! The council should have gotten rid of you years ago. Put you down like we tried that other crazy bitch. Scum both of you, a defilement to our name."

"Rotten!" The shriek caused Avery's eyes to flick towards the cage for split second and it was all Buffy needed to move, her right foot shot out in a powerful kick that flipped the rifle into the air and into her own waiting hands, calmly she leveled it at the startled man's chest.

"Rotten rotten rotten" Drsuilla muttered. "Will you bleed, will you ooze like a rotten plum?"

The small man raised frightened eyes to Buffy's impassive face.

"You have no right to do this. She is the property of The Watcher's Council. A monster. You can't do this." Avery dropped like a stone as Buffy's right hook connected with his jaw.

"Watch" me." The young woman muttered before snapping the key from his neck and approaching the cage.

"I'm insane, I'm absolutely insane." Buffy thought to herself, legs pumping as she followed Drusilla through the twisting paths of Kensington Garden at a half jog, passing unseeing the shadowed beauty of the flowers and trees. Once they had reached the quiet darkness of the park the vampiress had begun to move with surprising speed, her white dress glowed in the darkness, the moonlight smoothing out the bruises and burns on her arms till she almost looked like a marble statue come suddenly to life to frolic under the stars. Buffy nearly tripped on the uneven pathway and let out a small curse as she shivered in chill night air, wishing she was wearing a jacket instead of a thin blue cardigan

" I must go to the Gardens." she quoted darkly in her mind. They could have been halfway across London and she probably still would have gotten me to take her."Stupid undead glidy lady." Buffy muttered as she watched Drusilla gliding ahead of her with preternatural grace. Then sighed as she remembered she had an unpleasant end to tie up.

Willow. She called, giving her friend a mental shake. Come on Wills, wake up.

Buffy? Willow's sleepy voice felt like warm molasses. Where are you?

I'm out for a little stroll to see the sunrise. Buffy tried to sound nonchalant, she heard Willow gasp as her presence became fully awake. Buffy, you didn't.

Sorry Wills. But I couldn't leave her like that.

You said you were going to stake her. Not take her out for a walk. If Spilling--

I know. But–I just. I feel like she deserves to go with some dignity that's all.

Buffy felt her friend sigh, she could see Willow's disgruntled face, surrounded by a curtain of red hair as clearly as if it was before her. I made it look like she knocked Avery out and escaped. I just need you to make him remember it that way. Please Wills?"

Alright Buffy, but I expect major foot rubs for this. Buffy sent her friend a quick mental grin and hug. Thanks Willow, you're the best.

Yeah, yeah. I bet you say that to all your witches, where are you?

If they ask you you'll honestly be able to say you don't know.

Buffy heard her friends muttered grumbles just before she shut off the link. Looking up Buffy nearly crashed straight into Drusilla who had stopped at the bottom of a low treeless hill.

"Is the Red One still buzzing in your head."

Buffy gave her a startled look, "No she's gone now. She's helping Avery to remember that you knocked him out and took the key. Is this the place, or are we going to France."

Drusilla gave her a wan smile. "This is my place, my fairy hill." She said, as the women began to climb the gentle slope towards the top. "Our family came here once. Had a lovely picnic, a group of park wardens that came to evict us. My Spike and I danced under the moon, while the heavens bled and cherubs fell from the sky." They had reached the top of the hill, it was indeed a beautiful spot with a wonderful view of the night sky. Drusilla turned towards her "I came here once before, to wait for the stars to wink out, but then the bad men came and locked me all away, interrupted me. I wish I had time to teach them a lesson in politeness." She turned eyes full of trust to Buffy's face. "But you'll stop them this time won't you?"

"Yes Drusilla, no one will interrupt you this time." Buffy explained patiently.

"The stars are whispering, they say it will be time soon." The vampiress sank gracefully down onto the grass, Buffy hesitated, then sat carefully down next to her. "Will my angel come for me?" Her strange charge asked hopefully.

Buffy swallowed, she hadn't expected a question like that. "I don't know."

Drusilla sighed and lay back on the lawn, dress shining wanly on the dark ground. "He wasn't a very good Angel, my daddy. I thought angel's would be shining and bright and pure but he was dark, and he had dark, dark wings." Her shadowy eyes turned to Buffy's face. "I had hearts, warm and glowing. He ripped them up and burned them all away, my Angel. He's red and black and smouldering. He took them all from me. Everyone I loved. Now they're all ashes. All dust."

Buffy swallowed past the sudden lump in her throat. "I'm sorry Drusilla."

The brunnette stared softly at the sky "He used to say that, my daddy. But he never was, not for me, only for himself, because the light half stung him." The frail vampiress traced invisible patterns in the air with tender fingers "Not like my William, sweet White William, shining so bright. His love was blinding, brighter than the fire, I had to leave him lest he burn me."

Tears had begun to trickle silently down Buffy's cheeks, sweet William, so bright. Wordlessly she reached out and took the child like demon's hand. Drusilla turned to look curiously at the Slayer, black locks of hair hissing slightly on the grass as she cocked her head to one side, a movement so like Spike's that Buffy bit back a nearly hysterical laugh.

"I couldn't see you, you know. Dark, dark, dark, where the Slayer is, always dark. But its not, its bright. Brighter than the day." She gently reached up an icy hand to caress Buffy's tear wet cheek. "You would have been so dark." She whispered. "And so bright too, very very glowing and glistening. That's all he ever wanted my dear boy: something effulgent." Drussilla's hand drifted down to her own face, lightly stroking her pale cheek with the back of her palm. "I was bright once too. A shining flame. Pure. But my Angel broke all my candles, and shattered the light on the floor. I watched it winking out. I couldn't stop it! I couldn't stop it!" Her face shifted abruptly into a demon's mask, a hand shot out quicker than Buffy could have dreamed possible, and latched onto her throat like a vice. "So I became dark." Drusilla hissed. "Dark, and smouldering too. A good daughter, a black goddess. I bit and ripped and tore and killed, crimson and black." Abruptly she let go of Buffy's neck and sank back to the ground. "But I am tired now." She said simply, and Buffy slowly relaxed the grip on her stake. "Tired of the dark, tired of the whispers, beating in my head like a bird." Her gaze flicked to the sky where grey light was beginning to grow in the east. "I must say goodbye to the stars." The vampiress stumbled up and Buffy jumped to her feet, gently supporting her under the arm. "Where is Miss Edith? She should be here, here with me. I love miss Edith."

"I'm sure she loves you too Drusilla." Buffy said gently. The brunnette looked at Buffy pityingly.

"No she doesn't, she's a doll." She said slowly and distinctly, as if to a child giving the startled blonde's hand a little pat, before turning back to the sky. Pink and rose and peach were beginning to glow on the horizon, causing creeping shadows to grow across the grass. "I can't see the stars."

Buffy wrapped her arm around the taller female's thin waist. "It will be alright Drusilla."

She was pinned by two pools of violet black and blue.

"You are made of sun and fire, but there is darkness, deep and black, waiting always waiting. It deserves a place at the table too, while light and heat eat tea and cake, it watches in the dark. It's waiting for its place. " The words caused a the hairs to stand up on the nape of Buffy's neck, and abruptly the moment was gone as the seer turned back to the brightening sky. "Tell my sweet William that I was a good princess."

Buffy smiled sadly "You might see him before I do." She joked wanly. "Tell him that I–"

"Silly girl, he isn't where I'm going." Drusilla turned away before Buffy could answer. "Tell him the stars told me the answer." She looked at Buffy a last time eyes seeming almost luminous in the grwoing light. "It is coming. Cold and bright, but this time it's different this time it howls for blood. I would have like to have seen it." Suddenly her head snapped up, her voice seeming to echo in the quiet air. "You must stop it, or the garden won't grow. No pretty maids, no night, no world. Follow the crow, between the veils, the tightrope's line. Balance. You always need two for balance. Over and under, inside and outside. Both have to fit. You need him with you, find him, or you'll be in the dark alone. Without a candle or a compass or a spark. The Queen needs her Champion, night needs its day."

Buffy's heart gave a great lurch as the words seemed to burn themselves into her mind, the questions dying on her lips as the sun began its ascent over the horizon.

"Drusilla." She began, anxiously grasping her slim hand. Gently the vampiress disentangled herself from Buffy's grasp and walked forward to meet the sun alone. She stood perfectly still arms outstretched slightly on either side as if to embrace her death. The dim, as not yet fatal light, lit up the outlines of her white dress and cast a nimbus on her dark hair. Slowly the sun cleared the horizon surrounding the slim form with light. The vampiress turned stunned eyes to her hands bathed in the golden rays, and then to the woman at her side. Drusilla's face was that of a young girl, innocent and hope full, her eyes filled with shining awe.

"It's so pure." She whispered. And then all that was left was a sigh of dust on the morning breeze.

Okay so maybe this chapter wasn't strictly necessary but I love Drusilla, and I thought she deserved her due. I know the past couple chapters have been short but there's a lot of exposition coming up so enjoy the action now.