Title: Demons from the past

Rating:PG-13

Disclaimer:Not smart enough, or enough money so it ain't mine. DAMN YOU WHEDON!

Summary: My first real sequel, all others have been fakes, kind of an AU of S7 so a bit more original than most.

++++

Buffy could hear Xander cursing.

The poor guy got the short straw when they were choosing who cleaned what in the house. He got hosing down the basement. Willow got to clean the bathroom and living room and She got to clean the kitchen. Looking at it, it almost looked worse than what Xander had to do.

She didn't let anyone go down there until after breakfast, because she knew from what she's seen of Slice-n-Dices work, no one would be able to eat after seeing what he done to Chamberlin.

Once everyone finished breakfast she and Anya took out what was left of the body. The slayer knew it wouldn't upset the ex-demon too much, well not as much as everyone else. All through breakfast she felt their eyes on her. She could almost feel the tension in all of them. It wasn't that the slayer didn't understand their reactions. But it didn't bother her any less.

She was trying to save the world, she doesn't have time to hesitate.

Sometimes she just wanted to scream, all her life she had been taught to be a leader, either socially or in her duty. Now when things were bad and getting worse, she kept having to deal with those who either questioned her or wanted to lead themselves.

Giles was the one who infuriated her the most. She loved him more than anything, but he kept placing the burden of being the leader, the general, on her shoulders, then turning around and giving orders, circumventing her. It was pissing her off. And now he was leaning against the counter, watching her while she cleaned. Exasperated she sighed and looked at Giles, arms dropping to her sides.

"What?"

Of course he chose his calmest voice.

"What was that about?"

Knowing what he was say she answered.

"What do you mean?."

"Buffy you know what I mean."

She could hear the annoyance dripping from his words. Sighing.

"Giles, I made a decision, it's done, that's it."

"Buffy you let a demon torture and disembowel a person."

"A person who A. is trying if not helping to bring about hell on earth, B. In turn helped kill hundreds of innocent girls, and C. Just tried to kill my friend a few hours ago. Not only that, think of what might have happened if he had succeeded. Do you think he would have stopped with her? No, and I don't think he would hesitate to kill Dawn in her sleep."

He looked down and let out his breath.

"Your right, if he had his choice we would all be dead."

She could see in his eyes that he wasn't finished.

"But what happened down there, in that basement."

Quietly she interrupted him.

"I know."

"Then you also know why I'm worried about you."

"Yeah, I do."

Nodding, he knew she understood the warning and accepted it.

"I trust you Buffy, but be careful, don't let the things around you twist you into something your not."

She could feel her face starting to prepare for her tears. No tears came but a smile lit her face. What was better was he smiled back. They broke eye contact and the smiles disappeared.

"Ugggh these were my favorite work boots!"

Xanders weird high pitched voice traveled to the kitchen causing the two to be brought back to their situation. Soon he opened the door from the basement muttering about getting eyeball gunk out of leather.

"Well lets go see what he found out."

Nodding, they moved into the strangely quiet living room. It was strange because everyone was in the living room, and you couldn't get these people together without having an argument springing up. But now it was just whispers.

Anya was sitting comfortably in one of the chairs reading a spell book while Dawn and Willow were at the computer typing away. The watchers were talking near the corner while the potentials were circled on the couch, giving wary glances to the far corner, which Buffy guessed was where Slice-n-dice had decided to lurk. She didn't catch what they were saying, but she already knew, they were deciding whether to trust him or her decision. Deciding to get on with it.

"Alice, could you get Xander. Tell him there's a meeting."

Alice like a good puppy scampered off to go as she was told. Turning her gaze to the rest of them, she noticed that the potentials were nervous while Davis and Winthrop were concerned. Course both probably had completely different reasons. When Alice came back with Xander, Buffy began.

"As you know Augustus is, or I should say was, one of the persons who are responsible for all of this, the council, the other girls, the increase of demons. He was a part of the reason you are here, fearing for you lives. Being one of those persons also means that he has, had, inside information on what their plans are. He was protected by magic so we couldn't force him to tell us or read his mind. I made the decision to have him."

She pointed to the corner where Slice-n-dice was leaning against the wall.

"To find out, by any means. He did. Whether or not you trust him doesn't matter, he is in the fight to save your lives. We need him, that is enough."

Taking a breath she turned to him and stepped back. He obviously understood, but didn't move from his spot. Buffy felt more than saw Kennedy shrink when his head turned towards her.

"He died before you came here. They used a shape-shifter, a very rare demon, to replace him."

Kennedy bowed her head and the slayer could see the tears shining in her eyes. Buffy noticed something odd, his voice, or voices started to sound more like just one.

"He was sent here specifically to kill the witch. They knew he wouldn't be able to knock off more than one or two of you before he was caught."

Willows face went a little paler than usual. They were after her specifically. Kennedy was the first to ask a question.

"Why her?"

"She is the only one who can protect against the magics they'll be using against us."

"What kind of magics?"

His head turned toward Davis, who immediately kinda regretted asking the question.

"They have enlisted the help of the Trinity."

All three watchers went pale, muttered a curse, or cleaned his glasses.

"Giles what is it?"

He didn't bother to stop rubbing his glasses when Dawn asked her question.

"The Trinity are three beings, very old, very powerful, very evil. No one knows what exactly are, there are myths that they are fallen angels. Some say that they were the three demons ripped strait out of hell."

"They are the latter."

His voice interrupted the slayer and watcher bringing back their attention.

"How do you know?"

The quickness in which his head turned alarmed them, and made Rona, who asked the seemingly innocent question, visibly flinch.

"I know."

The cold, darkness in those words sent a shiver down everyone's spine. But as if nothing happened he continued.

"They are also the only ones powerful enough to do the spell that brings back the first."

"Yes, quite, any word on the specifics of that spell."

Everyone could tell that the demon intimidated Winthrop, but his voice stayed calm and snobbish.

"He said he didn't know."

The watcher gave a chuckle.

"He could have been lying, demons aren't exactly the most trustworthy beings in this universe."

The accusation and insult were evident, but Slice-n-Dice's voice stayed calm.

"He was telling the truth, I was very persuasive."

Some of the potentials went a little green and Winthrop tried to seep into the wall, at the same time trying to keep face. Clearing his throat Giles tried to get everyone back on track.

"Was there any mention of their plan of attack?"

"From what I could get out of him, it sounds like they aren't going to attack us in force yet. Apparently they are of two forces, the followers of the First, and the demons and vampires who want it released. They are going to send the demons here to keep us busy while the followers go eliminate the last possible sources of support."

Everyone stayed silent for a moment. Giles grim voice put the silence to a halt.

"Angel and Faith."

The demons chuckle was almost frightening.

"Wrong, Angelus and Faith."

The scoobies eyes widened comically and the watchers started to murmur to each other. Buffy had to physically hold herself back from doing or saying something stupid. Waiting for her heart to calm she began to think.

"How."

"They seem to be having their own little problems down there and thought that Angelus might have some information. Unfortunately he escaped the cage they had built for him."

Bringing forth the icy determination Buffy decided on her plan.

"Alright this is what we're going to do. Willow and Slice-n-dice will go to L.A. when you get there re-soul Angel, help out if you can, and bring Faith with you on the way back. Patrolling will be doubled, we'll need to get more field time under your belts. Willow, make sure all the protection spell are up and running."

She looked at everyone for a moment, observing their faces, some of them were so scared, but brave all at once. Nodding everyone began to move to their assigned chores. It was then that she noticed Xanders expression, in fact everyone's expression was the same as his. Though oddly enough not Willow or Anya seemed uncomfortable with the idea.

Waving the Scoobies in the dining room and away from the others she walked to the head of the table and looked expectantly at the concerned group.

"What."

"Buffy are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Xander, Willow is probably one of the most powerful witches on the planet, she can take care of herself, especially against the followers."

Xander was about to respond when Giles stopped him.

"I think what he means to say is, are you sure it's safe to be sending Willow alone with, um, Slice and Dice."

The slayer stared at them blankly.

"Yeah I mean what's to stop him from going all postal and eviscerating her in her sleep"

Dawns two cents caused Willow to step in.

"Guys I hate to admit it but I don't think we could stop him even if we tried."

"Not exactly a vote of confidence."

Anya rolled her eyes at Xanders sarcastic comment.

"What she was trying to say is there is nothing holding him back, so if his agenda was to eviscerate any of us he would have done it by now. I like your use of the term Dawn, very nice."

Anyone else saying the last part would probably be perceived as being sarcastic. But to Anya it was a compliment. Shaking the thoughts out of her head Buffy finished it.

"Guys! This guy, for no real reason, is helping us. And right now we need him. I don't need you to trust him. I need you to trust me."

Hesitantly everyone nodded and went to there tasks. Feeling all the energy drained from her the slayer walking into the kitchen and collapsed onto the kitchen stool. She let her head drop into her hands and her body go lax.

It didn't startle her when she heard his voice. Buffy knew he had been in there during the whole conversation.

"Do you really think I'm helping for no reason?"

Not looking up she answered.

"None that I can see."

She still hadn't lifted her head but she could feel a certain sadness surrounding him. Quietly she asked.

"Why do you? Help us I mean."

"What other reason is there for a demon like me."

"Love."

She looked up when she said this.

"Yes, love, because no matter how much I hate it, no matter how much pain it brings me. I'm still it's slave. The woman I loved, she lived for her home and her family. She died for it. I can't let her be insulted like this. If I did, that would mean I failed her when I could have done something. Knowing that would be worst than the hell I've been in."

A sad smile went across her face.

"She must have been lucky, to be loved like that."

"No."

His sad voice surprised her as much as his response did.

"It is a terrible thing for a human to be loved by a demon, all it brings is pain to both of them. It is a curse that I would not place on anyone!"

His voice ended with a whisper, but the emotion behind it literally shook the house. With that he disappeared into the shadows. Leaving a shocked, and shaken Buffy staring at where the demon had once been. A million thoughts ran through her head.

Was he right, is that how it was.

Was that how it had been between her and Angel.

Was that the way it was with Spike?

She didn't notice Alice until she spoke.

"Um, ms. Slayer, sir, um, the rest of us, well the potentials wanted to know. Who's Angel?"

Buffy's head dropped into her hands.

++++

A/N: CHAPTER 10 WAHHOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Alright I know it ain't all that exciting. Well I've pushed this story to probably over 20 chapters now that I have the Angel onset.

As you have noticed this chapter is a different kind than the rest. It has almost to past and is all present. I felt that the chapter before it was too much past. So I wrote this one like this to even things out.

As wise Gandhi once said "REVIEW DAMNIT!" I have a friend named Gandhi Robinson. :)